Happy now?
by Anile
Summary: When Michelangelo comes across an artical named:'ten steps for a happy family' he decides to give it a go. But something that seems in theory fine can work out differently in real life. And Mikey's about to find out.
1. Prologue

_Hello! This is my first multi-chaptered story and I hope you'll enjoy it. I don't know exactly how long this story will turn out to be but it will contain at least ten chapters. Once again, English isn't my own language and my story will most likely contain some grammatical mistakes._

_I wrote this chapter in 1st person but the perspective will change. I'm sorry if this chapter is a little bit boring but it's a prologue and I needed to explain some things. The chapter is also written as Mikey so I wrote it in a way I think Mikey would think. (if that makes any sense) _

_Anile :) _

_Disclaimer__: I don't own any characters from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. _

_I made 'Sparkle Time' and his articles up. If they accidentally truly exist (which I doubt) they aren't the same as the articles in this story. __The title 'happy now?' is from a song by No Doubt. The song has nothing to do with my story, but I just thought the title suited it. _

**Happy now? – Part one, Prologue**

I plumped down on my bed. Great now I have to clean my room. I looked around for what seemed the hundredth time. I must admit: My room is a mess. All right it looks like a tornado came by and stayed in my room. But beside that, I really don't understand why Splinter makes such a big point of it. I mean we've got more important problems than my stupid room right now. The return of the foot clan for example. Or the fact that the Hun and Bishop teamed up with only one goal: Our shells in a big turtle soup! I mean everybody is kinda uptight right now, Splinter is meditating a lot and he seems kinda worried. Donatello's trying to make something that can somehow help us against Karai. I don't know what he's doing actually but I don't really think I want to know either.

Leonardo is training a lot extra and he's obsessed with our training too. We must be faster, stronger, more focused, better, more careful, more perfect. Poor guy is still into the whole 'I almost joined the Foot, I trusted Karai and now I must find a way to fix everything because I'm responsible for anything that ever happened and everything that will ever happen in the future' thing. Kinda pointless to think like that, but yeah, that's Leo. It doesn't really help that Raph is constantly fighting with him. I must admit that it's kinda Leo's fault too because he's constantly bugging Raph and telling him how he should train better and should do everything better. Raph is irritated by that and he's picking on me because he needs something to work off his feelings.

I can totally understand that, but that doesn't mean I need to like it! My head's hurting 24/7 these days.

I sighed. I really should start cleaning now. I picked up a bunch of comics and papers from the floor. I made four piles on my bed : Comics, drawings, stuff, trash and things: 'I don't know what to do with or what it even is supposed to be' also known as the pile : ' will end up under the bed'. After an hour or two I could finally discern the floor from the garden hose. I didn't even knew I had a garden hose! That's kinda weird actually because we don't even own a garden. I took a closer look. Why was there a big lump in the middle of the hose? And since when does a garden hose move? Since when do they have teeth? … Oh my-…

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I can't believe I actually fainted! I fainted because there was a sneak in my room! Hello, I faced way more scarier things than a stupid snake. My brothers will never let me forget this! Raph will never let me forget this! This story will return on every family night and every Christmas party. O shell.

Good news is that my super brothers a.k.a. Leo and Donny removed the snake from my room and even checked if there were any others. They did the last because I refused to go anywhere near my room before I knew for sure there weren't any other unwelcome guests. They didn't want me in their beds tonight so they had no other option than check.

I'll worship my bro's for the next two weeks for that by the way. I'll give them the best omelettes and share my chocolate. Raph won't get any chocolate because he suggested to keep the snake, luckily for me the snake turned out to be poisonous and Splinter won't let him keep the snake. Hmm maybe I should give Splinter the good omelettes too.

I'm in my room again by the way. I'm checking everywhere if there is a snake and I still have to clean my room. I tried to convince dad that I was still too upset to finish my room but he didn't take it. Too bad.

I took my comics pile and began to put them in different piles.

An hour later I was rubbing the back of my head. That was so completely uncalled for! Apparently Splinter didn't like the fact that I was reading my comic books while I was supposed to clean my room. I huffed and sighed again. Dude, it's like cleaning my room takes the whole day! I crouched and picked up the comics I accidentally dropped. I saw a bright pink cover. What kind of comic is that?

'Sparkle time'? I sat on my bed again and flipped through the pages. ' Lose six pounds in six weeks', 'My husband cheated on me!' and 'I think I like my ex again but I'm happily married, what should I do now?' all came by.

Wait a minuet. This isn't a comic book! This is a magazine for chicks! I guess April accidentally gave it to me when she gave me those comics. I was just about to put it on the 'trash pile' when something caught my eye. _'Ten steps to a happy family. Page 23' _I curiously flipped to page 23.

_You don't know what to do anymore. Just having your family in one room causes trouble and conflicts. Everybody is arguing with each other and nobody listens anymore. Family time has become a unknown word in your dictionary and you're seeing you're family drift further apart every day. Do you recognise yourself in this description? Don't worry and just read along because 'Sparkle Time' presents you: Ten steps for a happy family. Follow this steps and your problems will disappear in no time. _

I gaped. This description! This is our family! Conflicts, arguing, family time has become a unknown word? That's exactly what happens! Maybe I should follow these steps, I mean if it works for humans it has to work for four turtles and a rat too right?

I began reading the steps but I was disturbed by someone calling my name. I guessed it was time for training. I put the magazine on my desk and left the room with a smile.

**Will be continued…**

_Thank you for reading! I would appreciate to hear if you like the idea or not and if you would like me to continue. _


	2. Part 2 Step 1

_Hello everybody. Here's the second chapter. It took me a while to write it so I hope you'll enjoy. I also want to thank everybody who reviewed my first chapte__,r it really made me write a lot happier. _

_Anile_

_Disclaimer__I still don't own any character from TMNT but I do own the spaghetti song, you can have that one for free ;) _

**Happy now? – Part 2, Step one: Eat your dinner together and at table. **

_Step one: Eat your dinners together and at table. Dinner is an important time where family members discuss their private life and activities. Don't eat in front of the television or radio because this lowers the chance on a good talk. If you can't eat together because of work or something else, try to have a little family time on an other moment, for example having tea around 4 o'clock. _

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Donatello was working in his lab. He scribbled something down on a notepad and rolled with his desk chair to his computer. He opened a program and started to fill in some data.

So now and then he would look up and glance at the glass tank on his desk. The tank wasn't filled with water, but there was a thin layer sand at the bottom and it was filled with a few sticks. The tank kept a snake inside. Almost as if the snake noticed the turtles gaze on him, he came up and started hissing, his thin tongue slipping through his sharp teeth, and moving his slim body. Donatello stared thoughtless to the snake until..

"BE AWARE OF YOUR ENVIREMENT!"

Donatello jumped, tripped over his own chair and fell on the floor with a loud thud.

He put his hand on his plastron and glared at his brother in front of him, who smiled at him with an amused expression.

"Don't you ever sneak up on me like that again Leo!" scolded Donatello his eldest brother.

Leonardo opened his mouth but didn't get the chance to defend himself.

"I could be working with dangerous chemicals here! One tiny little fault could blow us all up! You know better than that Leo, knock the next time or something!" Donatello took a large breath and Leonardo utilized this moment of silence.

"Firstly, I didn't sneak up on you. I came in here talking to you but you didn't react. Secondly, I knew that you weren't working with anything explosive. I saw you staring at the snake. But I'll knock the next time if that makes you happy, all right?"

Donatello considered this and nodded. Leonardo held out his hand and helped his brother up again.

"So," began Leonardo. "What's up with that snake? I thought Sensei said we couldn't keep him?"

Donatello rolled his eyes.

"Where should we release him then Leo? We don't even know how this snake got here, let alone that we know where we should release him again. If we set him free in this area there will be a realistic chance that the snake returns to the lair. You don't want Mikey to find another one do you?"

Leonardo winced at the thought of another hysteric Michelangelo. It was bad enough to go through that for once. He hadn't thought about it that much.

"I see. Does Raph already knows?"

Donatello nodded. "Yeah, he helped me with the cage." He wrinkled his nose. "He even named the snake."

It was Leonardo's turn to roll his eyes at that. "Should have seen that one coming."

They were both silent for a while until the both said the same at the same moment.  
"Poor Mikey." They grinned and the comfortable silence returned. The kind of silence where both were lost in their own thoughts. Donatello was the first to break it.

"So you made it late last night didn't you?"

Surprise appeared on Leonardo's face, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"How do you mean?" asked Leonardo innocently. In opposite from his youngest brother, Leonardo's innocent look didn't work that well.

Donatello stood his ground. "Your training run last night, it took you quite an amount of time. Thinking of it, you train a lot these days. Especially at night…" Donatello let his sentence trail, but Leonardo caught the clue.

"I need to train more if I want to defeat Karai Don, we all should train more actually." Donatello scrunched his face. "That's a lie Leo, and you know it is."

Leonardo shook his head and moved to the door.

"It's none of your business anyway Don, believe what you want."

The door of Dons lab closed with a blow. Donatello shook his head angrily and returned to his desk again.

"I'll find out eventually, you know I will." He muttered under his breath.

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Michelangelo rummaged through the kitchen cupboards. He went to April's this afternoon and had borrowed some cookbooks, he studied them and decided to cook spaghetti. It didn't look to hard and he already had experience with the tomato sauce. He collected enough food for a great happy dinner. He happily began to whistle while he started to unfold a bag of instant sauce. He started singing.

"Sing along, with this spaghetti song."

He took a pan and filled it with water.

"Put them in the water and stir them three times to the right."

He did the same what he sang and put a lid on the pan.

"Let it cook for a minute or eight. Oh boy, oh boy, I can't wait."

He also baked some mince in an other pan and added sliced vegetables.

"Be happy, be happy, be happy this time, 'cause we are eating spaghetti tonight."

He tasted the meat and scrunched his nose a little.

"More salt." He opened a cupboard, but couldn't find his salt.

"_Salt_, where are you??" He opened an other cupboard and his head disappeared in the cupboard. He finally found were he was looking for and stood up again. Michelangelo forgot however that his head was still in a cupboard and his head bumped against the top. This caused a vibration through the whole kitchen sink unit and a glass fell on the ground behind Michelangelo. Michelangelo didn't notice what had happened and drew his head from the cupboard, startled by the sound. He took a step back when he felt a sharp sting in his heel.He cried out and jumped around on one foot. This wasn't the smartest thing a turtle could do when the floor was covered with little pieces of shattered glass.

"Au, au, auau!"

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Donatello was patching up his little brothers feet. Every time he pulled out a piece of glass, Michelangelo would whimper or hiss. Luckily for both of them were it just minor wounds so that Mikey didn't need any stitches. Donatello avoided his baby brothers look, because said brother looked like a kicked puppy. He checked the disinfected feet once again and started to bandage them. Then something caught his eye. On Michelangelo's left foot were two tiny holes on one diagonal line. Donatello was sure that they weren't caused by the glass. It almost looked like.. but it couldn't be, Michelangelo should be sick or dead by now then. But the longer Donatello studied the holes the more he got convinced that the holes on his brothers foot were caused by an snake bite. How could that be? 'Maybe our mutation got something to do with it.' thought Donatello. He decided to investigate it later.

"I'm done." said Donatello.

Michelangelo jumped up and waggled his feet.

"I even don't notice it anymore!" stated he excitedly.

"That's all fine but maybe you shouldn't force.." Donatello trailed of and rolled his eyes. He muttered: "A lost cause." and walked away, leaving his hyper jumpy little brother run around.

Michelangelo kept doing this until Leonardo came inside. "What's that smell?"

Leonardo didn't understand why Michelangelo shrieked and ran to the kitchen. But he didn't understand Michelangelo most of the time anyway.

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About fifteen minuets later appeared Raphael in Donatello's lab.

"Hello babe."

Donatello spun around and looked at his brother.

"Excuse me?" Raphael smirked and pointed at the aquarium.

"I'm talkin' to Belinda, bro."

Donatello wanted to say something but had second thoughts. "I don't know why I should even act surprised."

Raphael stopped in front of 'Belinda' and crouched down next to the aquarium.

"Hello pretty." Donatello rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry about him Linda," Raphael began whispering, but he did it loud enough so that Donatello could hear everything. "he's just jealous."

Donatello snorted at this. "Don't grow too attached at her Raph, she'll be out if I've found out where she comes from."

Raphael stood up straight again. "I didn't know ya had somethin' against snakes Donny."

Donatello rolled his eyes again and remarked: "I didn't know you were into snakes, Raph."

Raphael grinned. "It's quite easy actually. Mikey dislikes them, so I love them, besides she really is beautiful." Donatello snorted again at this but didn't react. "So what's your excuse bro?"

Donatello spend a little time thinking of an answer. "Well," he started "It isn't like I hate her or something and I'm not scared either, it's just that it seems like she's watching me the whole time. And the fact that she tried to bite me when I took her poison, didn't work in her advantage." The moment the words left Donatello's mouth he knew he shouldn't have said that. Raphael eyed him suspiciously.

"Why did you take her poison?"

Donatello didn't answer.

"But you really have to go now Raph, I need to work on something and it demands a lot of concentration." Raphael stood outside before he even noticed it.

An irritated snort left his mouth. "Don't ya worry Don, I'll find out eventually."

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When I finished cleaning the kitchen, I decided to order pizza. Leo had offered to pick it up so I stayed at home. Yep, I can live with these bandaged feet. Leo's wrapped around my finger and I don't think Raphie will be an exception. Donny will probably tell them I can do everything myself eventually but it's nice for as long as it lasts.

My spaghetti is completely burned and my mince/vegetables mix wasn't any better. I sighed, took 'Sparkle time' and began reading again. The whole cooking thing hadn't turned out that well but I wouldn't give up. I mean, this is only the first step. I read the first step again and I smiled.

"_If you can't eat together because of work or something else, try to have a little family time on an other moment, for example having tea around 4 o'clock." _

Tea huh? I can do that. I mean, you can't burn tea right? I walked to the kitchen and started to lay the table. After that I made some tea and poured it in 5 different cups.

As on clue Leonardo came inside carrying different pizza boxes. Raphael, Donatello and master Splinter followed almost immediately. Everybody in this family has a sixth sense for food or something because they'll always arrive when dinner's about to get served.

They looked surprised at the decked table but Splinter was the first one to sit down. The others followed. We began eating. Splinter looked at me and smiled.

"How are you my son?" asked Splinter.

"I'm fine." I answered with a grin. It was working! We have a conversation!

"I heard that yeah." Said Leonardo with a glare. Heh, heh, told you Donny would tell him.

Donatello smiled and Raphael sniggered.

We talked, we ate, we drunk our tea. I did get funny looks about that because I hate tea, but I'm willing to drink tea for an evening like this every day.

**Will be continued… **

_Thank you for reading :) This turned out longer than I thought it would be. Please review and __I hope that you'll be reading the next chapter too. I also hope maybe one of you can answer one question: Do the turtles got noses or not?? Thank you already. _


	3. Part 3 Step 2

_Hello there again. Here's the next chapter! I hope you guys like it. I want to thank everybody who reviewed the last chapter, and those who gave their opinion about turtle noses. I looked at some turtle pictures and I came to the conclusion that turtle got nose kinda slit things on their snouts. Hope you'll enjoy, Anile._

_Disclaimer____I still don't own any character from TMNT. I thought I should just let you know ;) _

**Happy now? – Part 3, Step two: Show interest in the activities of your family. **

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_Step two: Show your interest in the activities and whereabouts of your family. What do they do? Why do they like it? How does it work? All those questions can lead to a nice conversation, because they'll love to tell about their hobbies. You can ask to watch, or even to help. _

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Raphael walked through the living room in the kitchen. He was thirsty after the pizza. Raphael wasn't very fond of tea and hadn't drunk much during dinner. He filled a glass of water and drank it. When he put the glass down he noticed somebody watching him. He turned around but didn't see anybody. He frowned and moved his hands to his sais.

"We need to talk." Raphael was glad he already drunk his water because he knew for sure that he would have spit it out again. He swore and glared at Leonardo.

"Do ya really need to sneak around like that? Can't ya just walk around like everybody!"

Leonardo looked confused. "How do you mean? I don't sneak!"

"What ever bro." replied Raphael uninterested. He got ready to leave again.

"No wait!" ordered Leonardo. Raphael didn't listen and walked away.

Leonardo growled. "Don's suspecting something."

Now Raphael did stop. He turned around and leaned against the wall.

"What did he say?" demanded Raphael.

'Now I've got his attention.' Thought Leonardo bitterly.

Leonardo stood straight and folded his arms.

"He noticed that I'm doing a lot of training runs lately."

Raphael growled. "Should have seen that one coming. He was bound to figure it out."

Leonardo nodded. They both pondered their options.

"How was it last night?" Leonardo was surprised by the sudden question.

"The same actually, they're still recruiting more followers. I also think that they're looking for us. It isn't very safe outside anymore."

Raphael snarled. "We really need to find out about what they're planning Leo."

Leonardo nodded in agreement and shifted. "What about Donny though?"

Raphael thought about this a minuet and smirked.

"Let me handle Donny bro."

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Leonardo swirled his swords and attacked again. He turned around, and high kicked in the air. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his environment. There was an intruder. He focused on the other and jumped.

A surprised yelp echoed through the damped and chilled sewer tunnels.

"Leo!!" whined Michelangelo.

Leonardo, pinning his baby brother on the ground, smiled.

"You shouldn't let your guard down." He said while he got of his brother and helped him up again. Michelangelo scowled.

"I just wanted to ask you a question, no need to jump me." He stopped and smirked.

"I know I'm irresistibly handsome of course, but Leo I'm already kinda involved with an other." He lowered his voice and glanced over his shoulders. "You know how jealous Klunk can be."

Leonardo rolled his eyes and smacked his brother on the head. He walked away and started to exercise again.

"You shouldn't sneak up on a ninja, Mike." Said Leonardo between two kata's.

"What? I didn't sneak up on you! If there is somebody sneaky in this house it's you Leo!" spluttered Michelangelo. Leonardo looked offended.

"Why does everybody keep saying that? I do not, I repeat, do not sneak up onto anybody at all"

Michelangelo just stared at his brother with a little smirk.

"Of course you're not," Leonardo smiled and continued his moves. "Oh, fearless sneaky leader dude." Leonardo stopped in his tracks.

"What do you want Mikey?" Michelangelo sighed and he sat down on the floor.

"What are you doing?" asked Michelangelo with an innocent little childish voice.

Leonardo eyed his brother suspiciously.

"I'm exercising." Answered he wary. Michelangelo stayed quiet and Leonardo continued again.

"How do you do it?" asked Michelangelo with the same creepy voice.

Leonardo frowned.

"You know how Mikey."

Michelangelo pouted and began fumbling with his bandana.

"So, why do you like it?"

Leonardo stopped. "I have to train Michelangelo, we all have to train harder now Karai returned, not to mention the Purple Dragons and Dr. Stockman. We can't afford to lose an other time, not now."

Michelangelo pouted again. He wanted to say something with a snarl but he managed to regain his cute little voice.

"So can I help you?" he asked.

"Help, with my training, you.." Repeated Leonardo shocked.

Michelangelo scrunched his face. "Nehh, never mind. Can I watch?"

Leonardo shrugged, still confused by his brothers strange behaviour.

"I guess,.." he answered a little unsure.

It took five minuets of whistling, tapping and giggling before Leonardo chased his brother away from the dojo.

"Go and annoy somebody else!"

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"What ya doing?" Donatello turned around and glanced annoyed at his little brother.

"Mikey, I thought we had an agreement after you almost killed us all with one of my inventions." Donatello stopped for a few seconds to let his sentence sink in.

Michelangelo didn't show any signs of remembering and Donatello sighed.

"You," he pointed to Michelangelo. "no more," he shook his head and crossed his arms. A faint snigger was to be heard from the shadows. "coming here," he pointed to the floor. "when," he emphasized when. "I," he pointed to himself. "working." He pretended that he worked on something. "Clear?" He asked with a sharp edge in his voice.

Raphael was laughing hysterically on the other side of the room now.

Michelangelo stared confused at his normally so gentle brother.

"So," he continued like nothing had happened. "What cha doin'?"

Donatello slapped himself on the forehead and Raphael laughed even harder.

"Get out Mikey." He pointed at the door. Michelangelo seemed even more confused and shocked.

"What, why? What did I do this time?" Donatello glared at his little brother.

"I'm serious Mikey, _get out now_. Go and annoy somebody else. Leo or even master Splinter, I don't care, just GO!"

Michelangelo didn't make any movements to go. "I'm not here to annoy you!"

This earned him two sceptical looks from his brothers. Raphael finally calmed down replied.

"Yeah? How would ya call it then?"

Michelangelo smiled and answered: "I'm trying to show my interest in your activities ands whereabouts." Donatello and Raphael stared at their brother.

"Oeww, usin' big words now Mikey?" asked Raphael with a sneer.

Michelangelo shook his head and tried to explain himself but was interrupted by Donatello.

"I don't care, all right Michelangelo? I don't give a damn about it. Just leave my lab in 10 seconds and you won't get hurt." He took his bo staff in both hands.

Michelangelo ignored it or didn't notice. He looked questioningly to his other brother.

"How can I have a nice talk about your interest with you guys when you don't want to co-operate?"

Raphael had know idea where his baby brother was babbling about and glanced nervously at his right where Donatello was counting down. Donatello had cursed! He only cursed when he was really irritated. An irritated Donatello was an almost angry Donatello… Donatello was really creepy when he got angry. He noticed that Michelangelo still didn't make any movements to the door.

"I don't know!" Raphael cried. He glanced at his other brother again who was still counting. "Set up an inquiry or somethin'? Just go now 'cause Donny looks really mad right now."

"3, 2, 1.." Donatello looked satisfied with the closed lab door. He lowered his bo and sat down again.

"So, what were you saying again?" he asked like nothing had happened at all. Raphael was still staring at the door with a concerned look. What had he actually said to Mikey and what had Michelangelo actually heard? He frowned and wondered out loud.

"Maybe Leonardo really was right after all about Mikey havin' a selective hearin'."

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'Hmm, maybe that isn't a good question after all.' I thought after re-reading my 34th question for my inquiry. It was really a good idea from Raphael, and they say that Donny's the genius here. Speaking off Donatello, he seemed kinda irritated back in the lab. Maybe he's really overworking himself. But then, when isn't he? What is he even doing all the time?

I smiled and scratched the last line. I would know everything about my brothers after they filled these in. I've got really fate in these steps, the first step turned out to be effective. If you leave out the whole cooking drama. If I've finished these questions I can hand them out to my family. I'm sure they will answer them, after I have convinced them. I can ask April to copy these questions. It took me a little while to get the hang of this. I couldn't think of any good questions at first, but then I found this little quiz in 'Sparkle time'. It really gave me a good vision about how I should ask these questions, I even used some of them.

Yes, I'm sure I'll know a lot more about my family after this. And if I know what's really up with my family, I can show interest in what they do after all.

I put my pen down and stood up. My leg tingled. I moved my leg a couple of times and the feeling went away. I shrugged it off and walked away. It was probably because I leaned on my leg the whole time.

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"So can you tell me again my son, what do you want me to do?" Splinter asked his youngest son.

Michelangelo, kneeled in front of his sensei, explained it again.

"I wanted to ask you if you would like to answer these questions." He pointed to the papers in his hand. "I made them for all of you so you guys could answer them."

The aged rat looked at his son with a fatherly smile. The young turtle looked really exited about his little inquiry.

"All right my son, I will answer your questions." The rat didn't understand why Michelangelo wanted him to answer them so badly, but he would do a lot of things to see his son smile like the way he's smiling at this very moment.

Michelangelo jumped up excitedly and handed his father the papers. He turned around to leave when his father asked him one last question.

"Why did you want us to do this again, my son?" Michelangelo turned around and grinned.

"I believe that these questions will strengthen our bond as a family and make us all really happy." Splinter still didn't get it but he decided to let it slip.

Michelangelo left the room and the rat stared at the papers in his hands.

'Whatever it takes to make you happy, my son.'

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April and Casey entered the lair. They were greeted by an unusual sight. They saw Raphael and Donatello sitting around the table, both bended over a pile of papers and one muttering some unintelligible phrases. Leonardo was seated on the sofa, also engaged in a similar pile of papers. He had a thoughtful look on his face and bit on his pencil.

April noticed that she wouldn't receive a greeting or anything alike so she decided to start the conversation.

"So, what are you guys up to?" She asked with a sweet friendly interested voice.

Casey glanced at here with an uncertain look because of her strange tone.

All the three turtles turned around and glared at April, which confused Casey even more.

Raphael was the first one to speak.

"It's all your fault.." He said with a accusing tone.

April didn't look surprised and replied.

"Don't be such a baby Raph, besides I heard it was your idea to begin with."

This made the two other brothers turn their glares on Raphael.

"What? Don't blame this on me! I just said something, I didn't thought Mikey would actually do it!" Raphael answered with a slightly raised voice.

April opened her mouth to reply but a confused Casey was first.

"What are you guys talking about?" Donatello answered this question.

"Mikey somehow thought it was necessary to give us an inquiry, so our 'family bond' would strengthen. April copied the inquiry for Mikey and now we're stuck answering his questions."

Casey frowned. All right, he didn't see a big drama in that. How bad can a inquiry possibly be?

April laughed. "Mikey asked my to copy those things, how could I have objected after everything you guys did for me? And besides it's just a inquiry, how bad can it be."

Both Donatello and Raphael glared at that again. Leonardo was still the same as when April and Casey had come in, he even hadn't acknowledged the fact that they were here at all.

"You forgot," Raphael began, glaring at both April and Casey now.

"That this is _Mikey _we're talking about. He can make of every seemingly innocent thing a disastrous horrible cause." Casey blinked at this. They were talking of Mikey like he was some kind of evil monster.

"So, why is the inquiry such a horrible disastrous thing?" Asked April.

Donatello took the paper in his hand and started reading.

"_If you were a flying cow, living in an other alternative dimension, and travelled through your world to find a witch who can change you into an other animal because an evil wizard had changed you into an Elephant, which animal you would pick to change into when you find out that you can't be a cow anymore. (You can't choose a rat or turtle)"_

It took a few minuets for Casey and April to calm down again and say more than one sentence without laughing or giggling. Raphael was still glaring at both of them.

"It's not funny you know?" He said, which made April and Casey laugh again.

"Why did you agree to do it?" asked April after a while and a lot of glares later. "I mean, you could have refused to do it." Raphael murmured something which neither April or Casey could understand.

"Mikey blackmailed him." Donatello translated for them. This made Raphael turn his glare on his brother now.

"Ow," was all April said while she wondered what Michelangelo actually knew about Raphael. "Why do you do it?" She asked Donatello next.

Donatello shrugged and replied with a slightly guilty expression. "I felt kinda bad actually. I really snapped at Mikey this morning and I just wanted to make up for it somehow."

April nodded understandingly. She turned at Leo to ask the same question but Raphael answered it already. "Mikey used his puppy eyes, Leonardo didn't stand a chance."

Again April nodded understandingly, she herself had also been a victim to Mikey's irresistible pout. Then the door from the dojo opened and Splinter came out. He greeted April and Casey and glanced at his sons.

"Ah, I see you're also answering Michelangelo's questions." He said with his Japanese accent. This took the interest of everybody excluded Leonardo, who still seemed completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

"You also answered the inquiry?" Wondered Donatello out loud. Raphael said something in the line of: "What made him do it?" but Splinter ignored that.

"Yes, I answered them indeed. And I must say that I found it a most interesting experience."

Raphael smirked and turned to face his father.

"So, what kind of animal would you pick to be?" Asked Raphael with a wide grin.

Splinter didn't answer and walked in the kitchen to make some tea. They heard some rumbling to the kitchen boards and then he replied with a muffled voice.

"I choose to be a Asian elephant. I have always found myself rather connected with them."

Raphael gaped and stared at the others in the living room. The others just shrugged and stayed silent. They stayed like this long after Splinter returned to his chamber with a fresh cup of tea.

"Err," Leonardo broke the silence. Everybody looked at him, surprised by his sudden gain of live. "What is your favourite part of your body?"

Everybody groaned.

**Will be continued… **

_Whowha, this chapter took me more time than I thought it would. I hope you liked it. _

_Thank you for reading! Anile.. _


	4. Part 4 Step 3

Haai, I'm really sorry for the late update

_Haai, I'm really sorry for the late update. I just couldn't find the time to write this chapter! I'm not completely satisfied with it, but I really thought I needed to update. So here it is: The fourth chapter! I hope you'll enjoy,_

_Anile_

_Disclaimer:__Don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, do own the art of annoyance. _

**Happy now? – Part 4, Step three: Share the housework. **

_Step three: Be sure that every member of the family has his own equally amount of housework to do. Every member must have his own chores and is responsible for his own room and mess. It's highly recommend to do some chores together, like doing the dishes or the laundry. You're family members have to collaborate to finish their work, which will lead to arguments in the begin, but hopefully also to a better understanding of each other in the end. _

"Wait a minute, could you repeat that one more time?"

Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael sat at the dinner table, staring at Michelangelo, who held a big piece of paper with their names on it. Michelangelo sighed and repeated himself for the fourth time.

"This is a new chores schedule. It's divided in six categories: cooking, dishes, cleaning, toilet and bathroom, battle Shell and weapon cleaning. We'll do the first two daily, obviously, the second two twice a week and the last two once a week. I made the schedule in a way we all have 8 things to do in a week. You just have to look on the schedule in the morning, and do the thing with you're name on it."

The brothers were still staring at the schedule, wondering why their brother had made one.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me," Said Raphael with a small trace of hope in his voice. Donatello and Leonardo nodded in agreement. Why would they need a schedule? They already had their own jobs, why would you change something that's working?

"He's not joking, my son," Said Splinter with a small smile.

Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael turned to their father.

"You knew about this?" asked Donatello with a questioning voice.

Michelangelo smiled and chirped: "Of course he knew! He even helped me with making the schedule."

The three other turtles were shocked about the unexpected betrayal from their sensei. The old rat didn't react to their reactions and continued.

"I think it's a very good idea, you need to learn how to work as a team and how to get over your problems and discussions. Especially now, with all the trouble we face, you've got to work as a team and trust each other."

"With all the respect, Sensei," began Leonardo "We already work as a team, every night and in every fight. We trust each others with our lives, what do we need to learn?"

Donatello nodded in agreement and Raphael muttered something about fearless being good for something after all. Master Splinter didn't pay attention to this and studied his eldest son.

"I know that you would do anything for each other in the field, my son." He looked at all of his sons. "I know that you trust each other with your lives, and I'm proud of that." He took his staff in the hand and turned it in his paws.

"But you're fighting with each other so much lately and that is worrying me, my sons. You may trust each other with your lives, but you don't trust your own family enough to tell about the way you feel." He looked them in the eye again. "Our house is filled with secrets and unspoken truths, we're all busy with different things and forget about our other family members." Raphael opened his mouth to retard but Splinter continued before he got the change to speak.

"We need to rebuild our trust for each other, we need to be honest to each other." He looked straight at Leonardo and Raphael now. "I know you are all trying to protect our family, to do what is the best, but it would be so much better if we'd do it together." He stopped speaking and saw that his sons still didn't seem convinced. He sighed.

"There will come a day that I won't be here anymore to protect you and-."

"All right, that's enough!" Raphael interfered, while he stood up. "I aint gonna listen to the 'when I'm gone speech'"

The rat smiled sadly. "But that day will come eventually my son, and when it comes I want the best for my sons."

Raphael clasped his three fingered hands over the place where his ears should be and chanted "I can't hear you!" like a five year old.

Leonardo, who also had shifted uncomfortably during the speech, stood also up.

"If you really want us to follow this schedule, we will sensei." Said Leonardo with a little nod.

"But I doubt it'll change anything." Leonardo pushed the still chanting Raphael out of the room, and followed him out. Splinter watched them leave with a frown. 'What are they planning?' he asked himself.

Donatello coughed and Splinter was reminded of his remaining sons at the table.

"Err, I think I'll go now." Donatello said, and he also left.

Splinter turned to his only son left. "Shall we start with the dishes then??" He asked Michelangelo. Michelangelo smiled, glad with the only positive reaction.

* * *

Raphael muttered angrily while he walked around in his room. Leonardo has agreed with that stupid schedule! Raphael thought that they were at the same side! This whole schedule thing is doomed to fail. They have to do everything in pairs! He would rather fight with 20 foot ninjas without his sais and a foot glued to the floor than doing the dishes with Michelangelo.

The others didn't know how bad it was to do chores with Mikey, but Raphael did know, he had done chores with Michelangelo for years when they were just little turtles. It was horror, hell and misery. And now they want to pull him through that again? That's unfair! That's horrible! That's ..that's.. that's torture!! That it is!! But then again, if Master Splinter realises just how bad it is, he will shred the schedule himself.

Raphael smirked. Even Splinter can't be immune for Mikey's Mikeyniss. Raphael grinned, because he was now remembered by the schedule and the fact that Splinter has to do the dishes with Michelangelo at this very moment. Without any further thoughts Raphael decided to give the kitchen a little visit. Maniacal laughter was heard just a few seconds later…

* * *

"Master Splinter!"

The aged rat turned to his youngest son.

"What is it Michelangelo?" he asked with his hands still in the water.

Michelangelo raised a plate and pointed to something. The rat looked at the plate but didn't see anything alarming.

"What is it?"

Michelangelo looked shocked. "You missed a spot."

Splinter raised his eyebrows. He took the plate, washed it again and handed it back. He took an other plate and made a motion to clean it, when Michelangelo tapped him on his shoulder.

"You missed an other spot." He stated.

The rat looked at the plate but didn't see anything. Michelangelo pointed to the plate.

Splinter squinted his eyes and stared at the plate again. He still didn't see anything.

"Where then?" he asked calmly.

"Right here." Answered Michelangelo, and he pointed to the plate again. This time Splinter did see something. One little, tiny, almost invisible spot on the white plate.

"You're serious? That little speckle there?" he asked unbelievingly.

Michelangelo nodded with a stupid grin. Splinter took the plate from his son and washed it again. He handed it to Mikey and watched how the turtle observed the plate closely, turning it 2 degrees and checked it again.

"Clean?" asked the rat with a little trace of irritation in his voice.

Michelangelo smiled and nodded again. "Yaps."

Splinter managed also a small smile and turned to the next dirty plate. "Good."

The rat had just finished the plate when he heard an annoying sound on his left. He turned slowly to that side and was greeted by Michelangelo, who clicked his tongue and shook his head in disapproval. Splinter turned to his washing again and tried to ignore his son. Michelangelo seemed oblivious to this because the young turtle patted his father on the shoulder again.

"You missed an other spot right here." He said, and handed his father an other plate.

Splinter narrowed his eyes and took the plate with a rough movement. He washed the plate again and handed it back. "All right now?" He said with a sharp irritated edge to his voice.

His irritation grew when he saw his son bowing over the plate to observe it again. Much to his dismay, Michelangelo shook his head and handed the plate back.

"It's still dirty."

Splinter had some beautiful images in his head now. Fantasies were he threw the plate back, used his staff, screamed, locked Michelangelo in a tiny, dark and soundproof room. But he regained his patience and took a deep breath. "Count to ten, count to ten, count to ten.." He murmured out loud.

Michelangelo didn't take this warning. "It isn't that bad Sensei, we all get older with the day."

Splinter turned slowly around again. 'Breath in, breath out, in and out, in, out, in, out, inout'

He smiled at Michelangelo and put the plate down. "Could you finish this alone my son? I need to do something right now." Michelangelo nodded and smiled happily.

"Sure Sensei! No problem!"

Splinter left the room and dropped his smile. He heard Michelangelo whistle in the kitchen. He needed distraction, and quick. He'd came this close of killing his son.

* * *

When Raphael was on his way to the kitchen he passed the dojo. He heard the thuds from his punching bag. He smirked. Now he could finally catch the person in act, who used his punching bag without asking. He'd noticed this a couple of times before but all of his brothers denied their guilt. He sneaked to the door and was surprised by a sound of laughter. When he saw the source of this laughter he paralysed and stared with a gaping mouth. Splinter was punching the bag with powerful blows and laughed maniacally while he did it. Raphael collected all his bravery and took a step into the room.

"Master Splinter? What the hell are you doin'?" He asked with a demanding voice. The rat turned around and before Raphael could notice, he lay on the ground pinned down by his Sensei.

The eyes of the rat were wild and contained a little trace of madness.

"You didn't think I would let you slip so easily, did you?" He said with a creepy voice unlike Raphael knew his father.

" Because you won't Michelangelo, never!" Raphael swallowed and blinked. Michelangelo? Did his father really went nuts or something?

" What? It's me Master Splinter! Raphael." Raphael watched in fair how his Father didn't react to this information. Just when Raphael began to lose his hope and relived his live, he saw the eyes of his father change. Raphael blinked and didn't notice that his Father stood in front of him again until he felt his Father's hand.

"I'm sorry my son, I must have mistaken you for somebody else." He helped Raphael up again and walked away. "I'm a little bit tired, must be the age I think. I guess I'll catch a little nap now."

Raphael watched his Father leave and didn't knew where he should be the most shocked about. The fact that his Father had mistaken him for Michelangelo and attacked him, or the fact that he suggested to take a nap, all by himself.

**Will be continued… **

_It's kinda short, but it is an update! __I hope you liked it! Thank you for reading. _

_Anile_


	5. Part 5 Step 4

Step four : Communicate with each other

_Hello,__ I've finally updated! It took me a while but to make up for it, this is the longest chapter yet. I could tell you some excuses for my later update but I don't think you'll be interested in any of them :P So here we go to the next chapter… __Please enjoy.. _

_Anile_

Disclaimer:Still don't own any of the characters.. Still do own mistakes..

**Happy now? – Part 5, step four: Communicate with each other.**

_Step four : Communicate with each other. __It sounds so easy and natural, but answer this honestly: Do you communicate with each other? Do you really know how everybody is feeling and what they're dealing with? _

Donatello drank slowly from his cup. Enjoying the perfect bittersweet taste that belonged to coffee. He didn't even stir when his door slammed open and his hyperactive brother ran inside saying something what Donatello didn't quite catch. Not that he really put any effort in it, because his brother was talking, eating a bag of crisp and jumping at the same time. This obviously cared for a trail of crumbles and crisp on the floor which ended before Donatello's chair. A turtle could get angry with this, but poor Donatello has been living with Michelangelo for so long that he became 'Mikeyproof", at least, he likes to think so.

"Could you repeat that please?" Asked the genius turtle, concentrated on his breathing. Slowly in, and then out.

Michelangelo, much to Donatello's surprise, first chewed and swallowed his food and repeated his question with an empty mouth.

" I asked if you needed to deliver or receive anything from April. I'm gonna bring back some things, so I can give your stuff when I'm already on it." He said, pointing to the big red bag in his hands. Donatello thought about it for a moment. He did have something he wanted to show April..

"Well, actually I do have something.." He looked around his lab. "somewhere."

Michelangelo followed his brothers moves, who was searching for his 'something' for April. Michelangelo rolled his eyes and tapped with his feet on the floor.

"I'm going tomorrow, so you've got all the time to find your 'something'." He tried, knowing his brother well enough to realise that the object wouldn't be found anytime soon.

"No nonono, it's here, I'm sure I'm close." Said Donatello, his voice echoing since he spoke with his head under his desk.

Michelangelo got a slight déjà-vu moment so he opened his mouth to warn his brother. A bang and some cursing made it clear that it wasn't necessary anymore. Maybe it were in the genes, wondered Michelangelo while he trailed with his eyes through the rest of his brothers lab. It was filled with bleeping and shiny objects with buttons that just screamed "Mikey touch me!! Push me!! You know you want to!" 'but I've taught my lesson about pushing random buttons in Donnies lab. Don't do it.' Thought Michelangelo, wincing at the memory of his angry brother.

Michelangelo was so deep in thoughts that he didn't notice the screwdriver Donatello threw behind him. Luckily for him, he's a ninja and he could take a step back just in time.

"Heeah! Watch it will ya!" Jelled Michelangelo taking an other step back when a hammer came in his direction. He took a few other steps back until he bumped into something. Michelangelo turned around and looked if it was still intact.

"Sorry snake." He muttered to the snake in the aquarium, and turned around again.

'Wait a minute..' Michelangelo thought after a few seconds.

"WAIT A MINUTE!!" He turned around in one quick motion and studied the object again.

"SNAKE!!" Michelangelo dropped his bag and ran around the lab screaming his longs out.

Donatello now noticed something odd was going on with his brother and turned around, looking at what had happened. Like the genius Donatello was, it didn't took him very long to discover that Mikey and Belinda had met.

"Mikey." He began. Michelangelo didn't react and kept running around and screaming. Donatello could feel a slight headache coming.

"Mike.." He said with a little more force in his voice. It still didn't work and Donatello opened his mouth once again.

"MICHELANGELO!" Both Michelangelo and Donatello jumped at the shout behind them. When Donatello turned around he discovered his other brother, Leonardo, in the door-opening.

"LEO!!" Squealed Michelangelo, as he ran towards his oldest brother, jumped and clang himself at him, his arms wrapped around Leonardo's neck.

Leonardo was surprised and looked at Donatello with a questioning, yet demanding glare. Donatello made a face which clearly said : 'Don't look at me, it's not my fault!' Mixed with a little 'I do know why he's screeching like that and I'm not happy with it.' Leonardo, a little bit out of breath right now because Michelangelo was keeping him from breathing, didn't let his glare fall. Donatello eventually rolled his eyes and pointed to the snake, on his desk. Comprehending hit Leonardo like a stone and he turned his gaze to his little brother.

Donatello was watching them with interest, wondering if Leonardo could become as blue as his mask. Unfortunately for him and fortunately for Leonardo, Michelangelo loosened his grip a little bit and was Leonardo able to set him on the ground again. Leonardo, catching his breath, glared at Donatello, blaming him for not coming to his rescue.

"Mike.." he began giving one last glance at Donatello and then focussing completely on his other brother. "that snake lives in a empty aquarium.. There is no reason for you to freak out like this." Michelangelo pouted. Leonardo couldn't help but feel sorry for his baby brother.

"But, I was startled about it. I thought you guys had removed the snake. You could have warned me at least!" Donatello answered this time.

"We didn't want to startle you Mikey and it's just for a couple of days anyway."

Michelangelo huffed.

"And what if he escapes?" He asked with a slightly whiney voice.

"He won't" answered Leonardo. Michelangelo didn't look satisfied.

"There is no chance in the world that this snake will escape all right?"

Donatello caughed. "Well actually,-" began Donatello. Leonardo gave him a warning look.

"there is actually a good chance that it could happen." Leonardo signed to Donatello to shut the shell up. "statistically seen, the chance that a snake escapes from his original habitat is one on the-" Leonardo saw the way Michelangelo slowly started to freak out again and put his hand over Donatello's mouth. "Mikey," said Leonardo with a soft reassuring tone.

"I promise you: that snake will not escape, or he'll have to face me." Donatello struggled against his brothers grasp, struggling to get out of his hold.

"You promise?" asked Michelangelo with his famous puppy dog eyes.

Leonardo nodded.

"Pinkie promise?" added Michelangelo innocently.

"A pinkie promise?" asked Leonardo like he didn't really know what to do with it. Donatello used this little moment of distraction to kick his older brother and trying, once again, to escape. Leonardo, as the great ninja we all love, didn't let his brother surprise him and tackled Donatello, who now lay down on the floor, straddled by Leonardo who still had his hand over his mouth.

"err, I don't know Mikey, don't you think we're a little bit to old for that?" replied Leonardo like nothing had happened.

Michelangelo also seemed to ignore his brothers antics and answered like everything was completely normal with a stern voice. "You're never to old for a pinkie promise Leo."

Leonardo opened his mouth to say something back, but master Splinter interrupted.

"Michelangelo!" he called from the living area.

Michelangelo's stern face changed into an all innocent and cute little look.

"Gotta go to master Splinter." He said unnecessarily. Before he walked out the lab he turned to Leonardo.

"You do pinkie promise don't you?" Leonardo just sighed, rolled his eyes and put his pink in the air. Donatello saw his chance and dug his teeth in Leonardo's remaining hand. Leonardo jumped and nursed his sore hand. Donatello used this distraction to tackle Leonardo this time. A sparring match began, and Donatello straddled Leonardo.

"Happy now?" Leonardo asked Michelangelo sarcastically. The door closed and Leonardo never heard Michelangelo's reply.

"Will be bro, will be.."

* * *

"Could you please tell me what this is?" Asked master Splinter, pointing to a big red box on the table. He looked a little bit tired and slightly annoyed.

"That's .." began Michelangelo with a trace of excitement in his voice and a grin plastered on his face. "our communication box."

The rat blinked, once, twice. "The communication box?" he asked. Just to be sure he'd heard it right. Michelangelo nodded.

"And why would you need a communication box?" asked Splinter with a sigh in his voice.

"It's not my communication box… it's _our_ communication box." He answered like it should've made any sense to the aged rat. Splinter knew the games Michelangelo played. He would answer his questions vague, in order to make him ask more questions. He also knew that he could just 'say okay and walk away' like his sons called it, but he was too curious about the function of the so called 'communication box'.

"Why would we need a communication box then?" tried the rat again.

Michelangelo smiled and picked up the box. "Well," he began.

Splinter waited for the rest of the explanation. "Well," he repeated.

Michelangelo blinked. "huh? O yeah, right." Splinter sighed and took a sip of his tea. It was a calming tea, he liked to call it survival tea himself.

"Well, if your annoyed by something, somebody or somebody's behaviour, then you write it down, and put it in the communication box. At the end of the week we will look at the content of the box, discuss the notes, try to talk it out and find a solution."

Splinter was sort of surprised of this idea. This made sense, real sense. This could be called an idea, not just an idea but even a good idea.

It would never work.

Splinter did not however, tell this to Michelangelo and sat down at the table.

"Lets try it out then." Said Splinter with a secretive smile and he took a piece of paper and began writing something down.

Michelangelo, curious as he was, needed to know what his father was writing and tried to peak over his shoulder. But the rat had his hand placed in such a manner that it was impossible for Michelangelo to read what he was writing.

Michelangelo saw with a scowl how the paper was posted inside the red box.

"But what did you write down?" asked Michelangelo with a whiny voice.

"You'll find out end of the week, don't you?" Replied Splinter with a very unlike master Splinter smirk.

Michelangelo kept glancing at the box, he really wanted to know what master Splinter had written. "but-" he began, but he was cut off by the rat.

"No buts, you have to wait until we open the box, which will happen, as you said, end of the week."

Michelangelo used his puppy dog eyes, but Splinter ignored him. After a few minutes of silent pleading Michelangelo decided to use an other tactic.

"So, is it about Raphie?" Splinter still ignored him.

"Yes it could be Raphie-boy of course, about the way he's cursing al the time. Though it also could be about Donnie, you don't like his late working nights. Or maybe it's about Leo! That's it, you've got problems with Li, he seems perfect and all but really. Maybe it's because of his perfectionism, you also think he needs to loosen up some! 'Cause I totally agree with that dude!"

The rat wrinkled his nose when he was called a 'dude' but after that he wore a perfect smile.

"O, your so curious my young son. Though you really have to wait. I can tell you this though: It isn't about anybody you just named."

The rat stood up and walked away to the kitchen, pouring himself a new cup of tea. This left a confused turtle in the living room.

"But, who it about then?" He asked with a confused expression.

* * *

Soft thuds and scraping from shells on the hard cold floor could be heard deep down in the sewers. Yelling, groaning and some soft cursing filled the dark room behind the lab doors. The neon-lamps created shadows on the floor, the figures they resembled were sparring on the same floor. It couldn't be said who would come out as a winner in this match.. yet. Both of the ninja's were fighting with all they got, weapons forgotten on the other side of the room. Everything is allowed in love, war and a sparring match between two brothers, so there was kicking, scratching, the ordinary punching, biting and even-

" NO! I BEG FOR MERCI!!"

"Then you shouldn't have bitten me should you?"

The blue masked ninja continued his attack, which caused the purple masked ninja to laugh. Well, maybe hysterical laughing would be a better description for the kind of laugh the turtle produced. The blue turtle continued as the other struggled and kicked until:

"Auch!" Leonardo stopped tickling his brother and rubbed his head.

Donatello panted . His stomach hurt from the laughing as he tried to catch his breath again. When he finally was able to talk properly again he asked the other : " What is it Leo?"

Leonardo stopped rubbing his head and held an object in the air.

"_This _fell on my head." He answered with a accusing glare to the object. Hoping it would somehow disappear, or crumble into a thousand pieces, whichever came first.

Donatello studied the object, recognizing it, he replied.

"Ow, that's just the lid of the aquarium the snake is in."

"Ow okay," answered Leonardo shrugging. "though 'was in' is a little bit more fitting I think."'

It took a couple of seconds until Donatello had registered this information. When he did though, he jerked up and looked at Leonardo with a urgent look.

"Belinda isn't there anymore?" asked Donatello with a trace of panic in his voice.

Leonardo was a little bit surprised about his brother's reaction.

"No, I told you so, guess Raph is feeding her or something like that." He answered with a relaxed voice. Donatello took a quick glance at the aquarium and ran towards it. He searched it and when it was empty he came to the same conclusion as his brother.

"Shell, shell , shell, freaking shell I'm gonna die, shell.." Muttered Donatello while he looked through the whole lab, searching for the deathly poisonous snake.

Leonardo raised his eyebrows.. He opened his mouth to ask Donatello, but his answer already came.. through the door carrying a box with both his hands.

"Heeya Don, here's the stuff ya asked for." Said Raphael, coming inside the lab.

But wait a minute.. thought Leonardo. If Raphael just came inside, who has the snake?

Donatello jumped up and stood in front of Raphael, pulling the box out of his hands and poked his plastron with one of his three fingers.

"Did you, or did you not close the lid of Belinda's aquarium?" Raphael opened his mouth angrily, closed it again.. thought for a couple of seconds, opened his mouth again, closed it again and looked at Donatello with a guilty expression..

"Maybe, there is a tiny possibility that I kinda forgot?" He replied eventually.

Leonardo gasped.. did that mean that..-

"Belinda escaped." said Donatello..

All three of the turtles looked around the lab. Thinking of every place a snake could possibly hide..

"Mikey's going to kill me." Stated Leonardo before all of them frantically began to search everywhere around the lab.

They were busy with their searching when Michelangelo came through the lab doors inside. He didn't see Donatello so he called his brother.

"Donna-dude, you're here?" The sudden voice of their baby brother made the three panicking brothers jump. Leonardo stood up and realising Michelangelo was the voice, jumped in front of the aquarium, trying to cover up the absence of Belinda.

Donatello also appeared. A big nervous grin plastered on his face and he stood next to Leonardo. Raphael grunted and pulled his head from the locker it was in. Rubbing his head he stood next to Leonardo's other side.

"So" began Michelangelo. Suspiciously eying his brothers. "What are you doing?"

Leonardo looked at Donatello, Donatello looked at Raphael and Raphael at Leonardo… All three of them were covered in dust, from searching in places neither of them even knew they'd existed. A little spider crawled over Leonardo's shell.

"Well," began Leonardo.. "we were.. err.. we were…" he searched his mind for a good excuse. "cleaning!" added Donatello.

"We were cleaning." Repeated Raphael and the three of them nodded frantically with big fake grins.

"You were.. cleaning?" Said Michelangelo with a doubting voice and raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, well, we know how you did your best on that schedule. So we thought, let's do our part. And so, well, we began err… cleaning.. you know?"

Michelangelo looked around the lab.. it didn't seem cleaner. The floor was filled with papers, crumbles, lab techno kind of things and other stuff. It even seemed messier than it was before he left the last time. But it was really sweet that they tried to help him cleaning, and they did it together plus they were all smiling. Maybe Sparkle Time really helped after all. Maybe his family already became happier. Michelangelo grinned.

"All right, then I will leave and let you continue your .. cleaning. But Donnie, I just came here to ask if you've found your 'something'. April called if I could come over now, instead of tomorrow."

"No, it's fine, I'll give it her some other time." Replied Donatello quickly. Michelangelo shrugged and left.

The three brothers sighed at the same time.

"Good call Don," said Leonardo "I didn't really know what to say and I didn't want to disappoint Michelangelo you know, he-"

They jumped when the lab doors opened again and Michelangelo came back inside.

He put his hands before his head and chanted "Just act like I'm not here, just forgot my bag.." and he walked towards them. He stopped before Raphael.

"Err, could you, you know.. move?" Michelangelo asked.

Raphael glanced at Leonardo and Donatello..

"Why?" he asked roughly.

Michelangelo raised his eyebrows.. "because my bag is like, behind you?"

Raphael nodded but didn't move.

"So.." began Michelangelo again.

"Right.." replied Raphael. "yar bag… err, ya know what _I'll get it_." He glanced at Leonardo and Donatello who looked at him with confused expressions. "I'll get ya bag.. _now_." He said, empathizing now and making a nodding movement with his head towards his other brothers. They finally understood what he was trying to do and they turned to their younger brother.

"So, Mike, what did you do today?" asked Donatello taking a step forward. Michelangelo tried to look past him but Leonardo , who also took a step forward, ruined his view.

"Yeah, little bro, how was your day?" Michelangelo, still confused answered with a doubtful : "Err, fine.. I guess"

Then he got his big red bag pushed in his hands by Raphael. "Here ya go bro…" he said, and he took with Leonardo and Donatello a step back, so that they were exactly positioned like they were after Michelangelo came inside.

"Right.." said Michelangelo, a little freaked out about his brothers' behaviour.

His brothers smiled again. It was creepy as Shell.

"Right" he repeated. And he left the lab again through the open doors.

This time the turtles waited a couple of minutes before they dared to talk or move again.

"I really, really want to find that snake Don." Said Leonardo with a sad smile. He'd made a promise to his baby bro and he couldn't stand it if he was about to disappoint him. He was keeping secrets for him already and he knew it would hurt his brother if he'd find out about them. Which eventually was bound to happen.

"Me too brother, me too." Replied Donatello, he felt guilty already about not knowing what kind of effect a snake bite on his brother could have and not telling him about it. He didn't want to tell his brother the snake had returned. And then he wasn't even talking about the danger the snake could be for his family. It was his fault after all, if he'd just made a better cage for the sneak.

Raphael just stared at the open doors, wondering for how long they'd been open and how big the chance was the sneak had left through them.

* * *

Michelangelo said good-bye to his father and left to April's. Carrying the big red bag with him.

**Will be continued…**

_Well, I guess I don't have to say: "hint, hint, hint" but I've said it anyways :P And yeah, Michelangelo has suddenly changed his favourite colour in red.. don't ask me why, I'm just the writer. Thank you for reading! And please review when you feel like it. Have a nice day :) _

_Anile_


	6. Part six, Step 5

_Hi there everybody. _

_I finally updated! And I'm really sorry it took me so incredibly long. I hope you guys didn't forget about me! (Or about my fic of course) As a make up for my delay it became a long chapter. I actually wondered if it would end myself and I moved a little bit I had planned to add to the next chapter. This story just seems to write itself. So I had this plot bunny, and it just kept nagging at my mind so I had no other choice than to obey it! (bunnies are evil, believe me.) Mondo Gecko has found his roll in my story. Just simply because I love him and I think he doesn't get the attention he deserves. For all of you who don't know Mondo Gecko, I'll explain a little bit in this chapter, but you can always Google him if you want to know more about him :)_

_Whow, Now I even have a long begin note, I think I really should just stop writing right now. I just really, really hope you'll enjoy the next chapter! _

_Anile_

_Disclaimer__: __Don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, April or Mondo Gecko. _

**Happy now? – Part 6, Step five: Common interests. **

_Step five: Try to find something the whole family enjoys doing. Something everybody has in common. It's relaxing and it will create a calm but friendly atmosphere between each family member. _

"April!" The redhead didn't look up from the pile on her lap. The couch, which she was seated on, was entirely buried with all sorts of magazines, from fashion magazines to 'self-defence for independent woman'. Michelangelo smiled when he noticed the last, and unconsciously began humming the theme song from Wonder Woman.

"Case! Can you please stop that annoying humming, I wont wear a stupid Wonder Woman suite, no matter how many times you hi-.." April finally turned around to look at Casey, and was greeted by the sight of a very shocked mutated turtle. She made an 'oh,' sound..

"Ehrr, Hi Mikey." The turtle just stood there with the same shocked expression on his face and a big red bag in his hands, which he held defensibly in front of himself.

" I'm sorry Mike, I thought you were Casey.." The ninja finally recovered from his shock and answered.

"Yeah, I kinda already got that idea… but really, why would you think he'd come through the window?"

April, glad that Michelangelo didn't mention her previous sentence, smiled.

"Its Casey who we're talking about." She stated in a way which said it must have been obvious.

Michelangelo nodded and placed his bag on the floor.

"So," he said walking over to April. "what's with all this stuff?" He pointed to the magazines, who were now covering a great part off the room.

April followed his gaze and sighed. "It just horrible!" began the redhead one of her famous rants.

" I've got this neighbour, she's just a horrible old ugly little witch, once she barged in and complained about -, well that doesn't really matter. But however, she came at my door yesterday evening. So I tried to ignore her and acted like I wasn't really at home, she didn't buy it though and started threatening to call the police, the cops I tell you, if I didn't open up, because she knew I was at home. That's sick isn't it? Anyway, I opened up, really she meant it! And then she started to accuse me of stealing one of her magazines! Why would I for heavens sake steal one of _her _magazines? So, I told her exactly that and she just freaked out! I'm serious, I thought she'd die from a heart-attack. She started screaming that she'd arrange a search warrant for me and all that kind of crazy stuff. So I just tried to calm her down and promised her I would look for her magazine if she'd just calm down a little. That's why I'm searching through all of my magazines for an apparently 'stolen' one."

April finally calmed down a little and she sat down on the couch, throwing some magazines on the floor in the process. Michelangelo just stood there, trying his hardest not to burst out laughing at Aprils crisis. He met April's eyes and then decided that it hadn't been the smartest thing to do. A snort escaped his mouth and a huge grin appeared on April's face. Not far after that they both broke out laughing.

"Oh, god Mikey." Said April, wiping away tears from laughter.

"After all I've been gone through with you guys, after all the scary and freaky things I've experienced, Its my neighbour who gives me the shivers."

They both laughed a little more before they both had calmed down enough to speak normally again.

"So," asked Michelangelo. "you want me to help you finding it?"

April smiled. " Thank you Mikey, that's really kind of you. 'Sparkle time' what kind of magazine is that anyway?"

Now Michelangelo's smile fell a little bit.

"What is it Mike? Do you know it?" asked April when she noticed Michelangelo's sudden silence.

"Well," began Michelangelo "sort of.."

--

"You sure about this Leo?"

"It's our last chance Don, it's not like we have an other choice."

"There ain't no other way?"

"Scared Raph?"

"What!? No, .. I'm right behind you Fearless."

"Yeah, and I'm right behind Raph.."

"You want me to go in first?"

The desperate turtle brothers had looked everywhere, except for one place. It was no coincidence really, they'd saved this room for last. They only would go in here if they were desperate enough to.

"Well, yeah." Replied Donatello and Raphael in unison.

Leonardo glared at his brothers, wondering at the same time if he really had to do this. Collecting al his courage, he grabbed the doorknob…

Raphael and Donatello stood behind their brother, encouraging their brother in the process.

"You can do it Leo." Whispered Donatello in Leonardo's ear.

Leonardo turned the handle and the three brothers moved unconsciously forward, staring intently at the doorknob. Then the door opened with a cracking sound, slowly revealing the room behind it. Finally the ninjas could see the horror of an absolutely, disgusting and terrifying scene of a … a clean and tidy room?

The brothers stood shell shocked in front of Michelangelo's room. Stupidly blinking their eyes at the disturbing sight.

"Well.. that's an anti-climax." Stated Donatello, who found his voice first.

Raphael murmured something about alternative universes and aliens who kidnapped his little brother, while Leonardo still wasn't able to say anything at all.

Donatello shook his head at his brothers and decided to take lead in this matter.

"All right, we're going in guys!" The remaining turtles stared at him.

"Before Mikey gets back?" added Donatello a little self consciously.

This brought Leonardo and Raphael in action. The yelled their battle-cry and stormed into the room.

"Raphael take left!" "Leo you'll look under the bed!" "Search in every corner, search in everything that's big enough to provide room for a sneak!"

A half hour of searching and crawling later Leonardo sat down on Michelangelo's made (!) bed. Donatello followed his example and sat down on an empty chair. The looked around the room, coming to the sad conclusion that the snake wasn't in there. Which meant that the snake wasn't in the lair anymore, which meant it could be anywhere, which meant that it could return whenever it felt like it. Understandably, this wasn't such a good news for the turtles. The almost silence, ignoring the dripping sounds which were a trademark for the sewers, the quiet zooming and bleeping what could be heard from the lab and the soft breathing from Klunk, who slept on the head pillow, was broken by Leonardo who slapped himself on the forehead. Donatello, who watched Raphael rumbling through some boxes, turned his gaze at his elder brother.

"What is it Leo?" Asked the genius turtle.

"I just came to a realisation." Answered the other turtle.

Donatello raised his eyebrows. "Well?" he asked.

"The door.." began Leonardo.

Donatello waited, thinking Leonardo would continue.

"The door,.." he repeated impatiently.

Leonardo looked him in the eye. "It was closed."

'Whow, Yeah., that's it.' thought Donatello. 'I don't understand why they call me a genius.'

Leonardo noticed that his brother didn't understand and he repeated his phrase, trying to make the message clearer.

"The door was closed, Don. It's so stupid that we didn't figure that out sooner."

Donatello was still confused about what his brother was saying. Yes, the door was closed. So what? That's the function of a door isn't it? It can open, it can close, it prevents people from getting in on- Prevents people of going in? The door was closed? If the door had been closed the whole time, the snake hadn't possibly be able to get inside of this room. This meant that they….

"This was all for nothing?" Gasped Donatello.

"Yeah!" answered Leonardo, glad that finally someone understood his frustration.

"We discovered Mikey's horrible moving-the-mess-to-another-place-way-of-cleaning for nothing?"

"Yes!"

"We crawled through the dust, cat hairs, dirt and god knows what else,.. for nothing?"

"Exactly!"

The turtle with the purple bandana calmed down and sat down again.

"Well, that's crap."

They turned silent again and weighed their other options. Looking for the snake wouldn't have any use now. They didn't have any other choice than telling master Splinter of what happened, and they would have to tell Michelangelo too. Leonardo felt really bad because of this, because he had promised his baby brother nothing would happen. That the sneak wouldn't escape. Why did he always end up disappointing his little brother? It seemed like everything he did, or chose to do, always ended up in his brothers getting hurt. And the ironic thing is, he did all those things to protect his brothers in the first place.

Leonardo's train of thoughts were interrupted by Raphael.

"Ya'll never guess what I just realised?" He said.

Donatello and Leonardo turned to look at each other.

"What?" They asked at the same moment.

Raphael walked towards them and also sat down at the bed, which made a suspiciously squeaking noise.

"The door-"

--

After Michelangelo had told April about everything, (How he'd found 'Sparkle Time', the article which had appealed to him and how he was trying to make his family happy.)

April was grinning like a mad woman again..

"So that's why you needed me to copy those inquiries?" she asked with a amused tone.

Michelangelo nodded and scratched his neck with his hand.

"You think it's a stupid idea, don't you?" He asked with a small voice.

April really wanted to say something. Like : The article is meant for a standard American family and seriously, you can't really call your family a standard can you? Or : I don't think you'll work your problems out just because of some stupid rules.

However, one look in Michelangelo's baby blue eyes (who where emphasised by his orange coloured mask) and to see the hopeful and innocent sparkle in it, she just couldn't say anything discouraging at all.

"Nahh, I think it's really cute." She answered with a slight smile, while she was mentally hitting herself with a big imaginary hammer.

Michelangelo grinned and returned to their previous topic again.

"So, do you want the magazine back?" He asked the red-head.

April shook her head. "Nah, I got that one free by the local supermarket ages ago, I didn't read it though. I guess it must have landed somehow on your pile ."

April stood up and suddenly exclaimed : "This is stupid, I don't have that magazine! She's probably lying about it or something, hoping that I'll get kicked out! Or no, even better!!: She's trying to scare me off that badly so I'll decide to move myself. I swear you she hates me! And I just can't understand why. Sure there was this incident with her poodle but how was I supposed see that it wasn't a doormat?"

--

I quietly listened to April while I looked through the room. I tried to think of something my whole family would enjoy doing. Maybe fighting, I mean we all know how to do that. But we did that together almost everyday and the still weren't a prefect family. On the other hand fighting makes us bond. We never have any issues if something is getting to serious and we can always count on teaming up together, even when there is a fight going on, we're able to forget it at times like that.

However, you can't fighting for your life call something you enjoy doing. Well except for Raph maybe.. and Leonardo sometimes… and maybe myself when it means that we'll get home late and I won't have any time left to clean my room. But beside that it isn't. So what do they enjoy then. What do I like doing? I like comics, but that is a no. Games, master Splinter? No with a capital N. Drawing? Ha! Ever seen Leonardo an Raphael fighting with crayons? Well lets say Splinter didn't really appreciate the fact that he had to get a crayon out of Donnies nose and Leo and Raph have been banned to use crayons for the rest of their lives.

So what was I thinking of again? O yeah right something my whole family enjoys. Hehe, you can't blame me, I've got a busy mind. So what do I enjoy else? I like eating.. jups I like that a lot. I began smiling. My brothers liked to eat also. Of course our favourite dish is Pizza, but since Master Splinter doesn't really enjoys that I should think of something else, this was an idea however! I could work with this. A nice family dinner with lots of deliciousnishes. It's probably not even a real word but that doesn't matter because I'm thinking this so no one can correct me! I can say a lot of non-existing words without getting a mean remark or an eye roll at all. Spuggle, spheezer, goofel and cheatiness! Wait, I'm getting of topic again. What was I doing again?

I looked at April who was still talking, saying something about classic music and horrible fake wigs. I decided to stretch my legs. I didn't really know what it was, but my foot kinda stung. It wasn't like it was really hurting or something like that , it was more of an itch what you only notice when you're paying attention to it. I lay back on the couch, closed my eyes, shoved a few magazines away and yawned. Then I touched a cold leather-like something with my toe. I slowly opened my eyes again and looked at the end of my feet. Half covered under a few pages I could differ a slim long body. My body reacted before my brain. It tended to do that most of the time, my reactions are the fastest of my brothers but my realisation is the slowest. That's why when I finally realised what was really happening, I already was bouncing on the sofa, screaming at the top of my lungs and pointing at the snake.

A concerned April hurried to me and started to yell. Asking what was wrong.

"SNAKE!! SNAKE! THERE IS A SNAKE!! SNAKE!!"

April followed my gaze and looked at the spot I was pointing at. She frowned and just wanted to say something when her pupils widened. The snake rose from his hiding spot and he started to hiss, slowly approaching her. April, frozen on spot, also began pointing at the snake.

"O my holy god… there's a freaking snake here!" She turned to look at me and then looked back at the snake again.

Now she also started screaming and before I knew it she was next to me on the sofa.

We stayed there for a good 30 seconds, screaming and jumping before the snake turned at us again and approached the sofa.

This was a little to close for me and probably also for April because she turned to me and called: "Mike! Lets move to the table, that's higher!"

I looked at my right and indeed, there stood a nice dinner table. I jumped over to it and helped April also up. Panting from shock and all the screaming we sat down on the middle of the table. We eyed the snake for a few minutes, who dragged himself over and through the with magazines covered floor. We sat there quietly for a couple of minutes, staring at the snake. When my brain started to function again I wondered how the shell it was possible that this snake was here. I also was fairly sure it was exactly the same snake as the one in my room, and the one Donatello kept in his lab. So how was it possible that it was here now? Maybe it wasn't the same snake, Yes that must be it. Maybe there is some freaky snake plague going on. This thought didn't make me feel any safer however because that would mean that there where more.. everywhere.

April scraped her throat. " We should catch him." She said, still following the snake's moves.

I gulped. "Eh what? No thank you, I think I'll pass this time."

She turned to glare at me and slapped me. Guess a freaked April isn't a patient April, or a taking-no-for-an-answer-April either.

"You're serious about this?" I exclaimed with a high pitched voice.

April rolled her eyes. "Of course I am! We can't stay here forever!"

I looked around. The table was big enough for us both to lie down. The refrigerator wasn't in hand reach however so if we really would stay here we would probably starve. But how long had Donnie said we could do without food? But we can't go long enough without drinking. Maybe we could drink our own blood or maybe-

"You aren't seriously considering that are you?" Asked April with an horrified expression.

I smiled shyly. "Maybe not forever, but until someone find us?" I tried.

Aprils expression said enough and I sighed.

"All right, what's your plan?" I asked defeated.

April grinned and she repositioned herself so we sat across of each other.

"You take that bucket" she gestured towards a bucket close to the table we were seated on. "try to get close enough of the snake and throw the bucket over him!"

I blinked. "And what is your part of this plan?" I asked narrow eyed.

"Me?" she asked innocently. "I'm your moral support of course."

I glared at her. "Well thank you then, I really appreciate that." I replied sarcastically.

She nodded and patted me on my shell. "No thanks Mike, no thanks."

I wanted to reply something but then I realised that we hadn't watched the snake anymore. I looked around the room.

"Do you see the snake anywhere?" I asked April.

"What?" answered the red head. " I thought you were watching it!"

I held up my hands. "I thought you were watching it!" I replied.

"But I was explaining you the plan!" April retorted shocked.

"But you're a woman!" I answered accusingly. "You should be able to do two things at the same time!"

"WHAT!" April exclaimed. But she didn't finish her sentence however.

"Did you hear that?" She asked me, our fight seemed forgotten.

I listened but didn't hear anything.. accept for-

"I do hear something." I said looking at April.

A soft hissing sound could be heard from somewhere beneath us.

I lay down on the table and peeked my head over the edge. April followed my lead and we lay there searching for the source of the sound, seeing everything upside down.

Then I heard the hissing sound increase and I heard it more clearly. But still, there was nowhere a sign of the snake. Suddenly I had the feeling I was being watched. I slowly raised my head and stood eye in eye with the snake, who had sneaked up behind my head.

I jumped and fell from the table with a shriek. I scrambled up again and backed away from the snake.

"Bucket! Bucket!" I called.

April quickly handed me the bucket and I threw it at the snake. I missed. The bucket fell on his side and rolled next to the snake. I panicked and clambered up the table again.

"What!" shrieked April. "Try it again!"

"No way, you can go and fetch the bucket, I'm not going back there!"

"I'm not going near that thing!" April yelled back.

She looked around and took a frying pan handing it over to me.

"Try again!" she said. I took the pan and threw it at the snake again. It hit him on the head, but fell beside him after that. The snake didn't seem to happy with this and even began hissing harder. I would even swear it was glaring at us.

I growled and took a vase in my hands.

"No !" interrupted April. "Let me try." I handed her the vase over and now she threw it at the snake. She may have done this with a little bit too much enthusiasm because the vase shattered against the wall at the other side of the room.

Eventually we just ended up both throwing random items at the snake. Which caused a true chaos in the living room. We also where encouraging each other loudly.

"Come on Mikey hit him!" April exclaimed while she took a book in her hands.

The book soared through the air and flew through the open window.

"Whow." Said a far familiar voice. "Need any help?"

I stared at the open window, speechless when a green body climbed inside with the book in his hand.

--

"I can't take it!"

Raphael and Donatello looked up at their leader.

"What ain't ya takin'?" asked Raphael with a confused expression.

Leonardo spread his arms. "This, everything!" he said gesturing towards the basket with different kinds of fabrics, needles and threads.

Donatello sighed and put the needle down.

"How do you mean?" he asked Leonardo.

Leonardo sputtered at his brother. Wasn't that obvious?

"We managed to lose a deathly poisonous snake and instead of telling our own brother, who's incredibly scared of said snake, we're .. we're.."

Leonardo trailed of and just pointed at the green material in Donatello's hand.

Raphael stopped with stuffing the long green sock with cotton wool and smirked.

"Lying?" he finished his brother's sentence.

Leonardo glared at Raphael and then nodded.

"Yeah," he said.

Donatello rolled his eyes and turned to look at his brother.

"I wouldn't really call it lying.." he began, which earned him two sceptical looks from his brothers. "I'd more call it not completely telling the truth."

Leonardo gaped at him.

"So you wouldn't consider not telling your brother and father a deathly poisonous snake has escaped and instead of telling, replacing the snake with a hand made toy animal, as lying?"

Raphael stared at his brother. "When ya say it like that it sounds pretty bad." He commented.

Donatello glared at both of his brothers and smacked them on the back of their heads. Both were shocked for quite a moment.

"Whow, now I finally know how Mikey must feel." Raphael shared his thoughts with a bemused expression. Leonardo was rubbing his head and Donatello was losing his patience.

"What's up with you guys? Would you rather just go to Master Splinter and tell him? "Hey dad, sorry to tell you but we might have accidentally lost that snake. You know, that one who turned out to be poisonous in a deathly way. So hey what's for dinner?"

Donatello glared at his brothers trying to get his point across. His brothers however were staring at something behind him. He slowly turned around to find the old rat in the doorway.

"You what?" he asked with a furious look.

Non of them said anything and they just stood there stuttering some unintelligible phrases.

"So…" Raphael said after a while. He smiled and tried to use the famous 'Mikey' look.

"What's for dinner?"

--

April stared at the person in front of her.

'Of course.' She thought. 'It's big, green and coming through my window. Why do I even wonder why I don't have any other friends?"

"Please help us." She answered the unknown reptile. She gestured towards the mess.

"We're kinda desperate."

He rolled his eyes and smiled slightly. "Really?" he asked jokingly.

Finally Michelangelo also said something, well he more like yelled it, but that isn't really the point.

"Mondo!" he exclaimed.

The green gecko grinned at Mikey.

"Mikey." He replied while he took his cap of and made a exaggerated bow.

His black messy hair fell over his eyes and he brushed it away when he put his cap on again.

Michelangelo smiled.

" You know, if I dared to move from this table, I would hug you! I haven't seen you like forever dude! I thought you'd moved or something."

April looked back and forth at the two friends. They quite obviously know each other, but why didn't April?

" Didn't move, just was kinda busy. I'll tell ya later, when I get that hug you promised me." He replied cheekily.

Michelangelo didn't reply but looked around him.

"Err, April." Michelangelo said. "do you know where the snake is now?"

April blinked. She couldn't believe she had almost forgotten about that!

She also began to look around. It was difficult to see however, with all the mess on the floor.

"I don't know!" Exclaimed April. "I can't see the snake anywhere!"

"Ho. Wait a minute. What did you say?" asked Mondo unbelievingly.

April blinked. "The snake? You know the one we are trying to catch." The lizard just blinked.

"The reason why we are stuck on this table?" added Michelangelo.

The mutant gaped at the two of them. "You mean there is a _snake _in this apartment?" he asked sceptically eyeing the ground beneath him warily.

April and Michelangelo nodded.

Mondo immediately sat down on the window-sill and pulled his feet from the floor.

"Aha, well in that case. Have fun and good luck." He said moving to go away again.

Michelangelo and April shrieked.

"What! No way, you offered your help so now you're going to help!" yelled a furious April. Mondo, who was intimidated by the angry red head, (Who wouldn't be?) turned around again.

"Eh-of course. Didn't even think about leaving you guys here." He lied with a smile.

April also grinned. "Perfect." She replied.

"So, what's the plan." Mondo asked.

Michelangelo also looked interested at April, what were they going to do now?

April stretched her legs and sat down cross legged again.

"It's easy. We'll firstly search around for the snake. Then when we've found him you guys will closure him in and throw something on top of him."

Michelangelo slapped his forehead, this sort of division was a little bit to familiar to him. Mondo however narrowed his eyes.

"Wait, sorry I think I missed something."

April raised her eyebrows. "Why do you think that?" she asked.

Mondo shrugged. "I don't know, I just completely missed the part where _you_ were doing something."

They both glared at each other.

"That's because you will catch the snake and I'll support you while doing so. "

Michelangelo followed the disagreement like a tennis match.

"So why would we have to do all the hard work?" asked the lizard.

April began to become a little bit inpatient.

"Because you _guys_ are the men here!"

Michelangelo and Mondo looked at each other and smirked.

"Well actually" Began Michelangelo.

"We aren't really men, we are more like boys or something." Continued Mondo.

"On top of that we aren't even human you know, so saying we are men is a little bit.."

" thoughtless?" tried Mondo again.

Michelangelo pointed at his friend.

"Exactly!"

April rolled his eyes.

"All right you have a point. But would you please. Please help me?" she asked folding her hands together in a pleading way.

Michelangelo sighed. "Of course April, we won't leave until that snake's behind bars. Not that I would dare to leave if he wasn't." he added with a grin.

Mondo agreed from his place by the window.

"So do you have a sack or something?" he asked April.

April and Michelangelo stared at Mondo.

"You know," he continued uncomfortably under their stares.

"To catch him,… you know just like you always see on TV? You don't have a stick or something do you? They also have that.." He trailed of scared of the creepy looks he was getting from both of them.

"What?" he asked eventually when it became him too much.

Michelangelo and April stared at each other on the table.

"Why didn't we think of that?" April mouthed to Michelangelo.

Michelangelo shrugged in answer.

They both felt kind of stupid really. A sac would have so much more effect than a bucket, a frying pan, vase or one of the other thing they had thrown/destroyed in the process of catching the snake.

"I think I have a sac. Somewhere in the kitchen." April told them.

"Donatello has a stick. Well he doesn't want us to call it that way but it is a stick isn't it?" babbled Michelangelo. April and Mondo stared at him funnily.

"You just go and get the sac." April said to him.

Michelangelo nodded and then realised what he'd agreed to.

"What? No! You go!"

" No, you already agreed to it!" replied April immaturely.

Mondo rolled his eyes and stood up. "I'll go." He volunteered. He muttered something under his breath which the others didn't hear and what I think is a little bit too rude to retell.

Now Michelangelo and April stopped their bickering and looked at Mondo. He climbed on a nearby chair and then jumped over to the sofa. When he finally reached the table without touching the ground he smiled at the two.

"So, where is the kitchen actually?"

--

"I'm incredibly disappointed in you." Said Master Splinter with a sullen voice.

Donatello, Raphael and Leonardo had just told their father everything, well about the snake and their search.

"I thought I taught you to do better." The three brothers winced involuntary at their Father's words.

"It's not the fact that you lost the snake, though it was careless and irresponsible." He gave Raphael a pointed look.

"It's the fact that you wanted to lie about it what bothers me." He continued while looking at Leonardo. Leonardo sat there and was ashamed of himself. He wasn't used to something like this. He never lied to his father about anything. Except for the one thing he was currently lying about but he had a really good reason for that.

Splinter now turned to Donatello.

"But the thing I'm mostly disappointed about is you my son." He said to Donatello.

Donatello gulped and began to think. Has he done something else? He couldn't think of anything. Well, he did not tell that Michelangelo might be bitten by the poisonous snake and that he didn't know if this could have any consequences. But hey, Michelangelo was still alive so the poison didn't work like it would on a normal poison. Though Donatello was almost sure his Father wouldn't see it this way of course. But how could he know? Only if he had searched through his files and data on his computer there was a possibility that his Father could know. But he didn't think his Sensei was able to do something like that.

Splinter ended his short silence and spoke again.

"Trying to lie to me is one thing." 'Now it comes.' Donatello thought. He could almost fill in the next sentence. _"But actually lying to me that's unforgivable!" _

"But trying to lie so badly? I thought you were a smart boy Donatello, somebody I would even consider calling a genius. And still the only solution was making a hand doll? How-.. no why.. You know what, I don't even have words for that!"

Donatello gaped and Raphael snickered. Leonardo didn't do anything at all and wore his expressionless mask. Which he always wore when Michelangelo was fooling around when they should actually be doing something more serious.

Splinter stood up again and motioned his sons to stand up as well.

"Has one of you seen Michelangelo this evening?" He asked.

"He's at April's" answered Donatello.

Splinter stopped and thought about that for a moment.

"Yes, I recall that. He told me something like that while Julie and Dave were trying to escape from prison."

Splinter scraped his throat. " Either way, I want you to tell him about this when he gets home. I do not want there to be secrets between us."

The old rat left and the three brothers stayed behind, thinking about what he had said.

--

"What should I do with this now?" Mondo yelled at April and Michelangelo.

Michelangelo looked around the room and then spotted the red bag.

"Put it in here!" he replied taking the bag an spill his content on the floor.

Michelangelo hold the bag and made sure it was open while Mondo lowered the jacket with the snake in the bag. The bag moved and hissed dangerously. When it was in the bag Michelangelo closed it quickly.

"It's done." Mondo stated.

He grinned and high-fived with Michelangelo.

"We totally rocked it dude!" Michelangelo said.

April finally left the table and hurried towards the boys.

"O thank you, thank you thank you!" She thanked them both while she hugged them.

"No thanks April." Replied Mondo. "It's nice to meet you under different circumstances."

April scrunched her face. "I've met you before?" she asked surprised.

"Uh, yeah." Replied Mondo amazed that she didn't remember.

"You don't remember?" he asked.

April shook her head. "No sorry. You are kinda familiar though."

Mondo smiled. "Ah, it doesn't matter. I just thought you'd remember, I mean you almost blew up that day."

Blew up? April thought. Wait a minute! It all came back to her again.

"You're Mondo!" she exclaimed. Mondo nodded fake impressed.

"Really?" he replied sarcastically.

"No" said April pointing her finger at him. "Do not make fun of me, 'cause I remember you mister. You're Mondo Gecko. That guy Michelangelo dreamt about and then you kidnapped him and the guys tried to safe him, you turned to the good side and you're boss tried to blown us up. In the end you came down here and also came living in the sewers! Whow, I haven't seen you since then. You changed a lot."

Michelangelo and Mondo listened to her re-telling of the story how they'd met.

"You know," began Mondo. "when you tell it like that it sounds so romantic."

Michelangelo looked at Mondo, this time he finally had the time to take a good look at him and he indeed found out Mondo had changed a lot. He had grown taller. Now he was a few inches longer than Michelangelo. His hair had grown out a little bit and hung half in front of his red eyes. His clothing style had changed. He now wore a long black pants with hole in it for his tail, a purple shirt with a lizard on it and a leathern jacket. And what was that? A weapon? Yes, concluded Michelangelo. He indeed also had a pistol on him. Now he really wanted to know what Mondo had done in the time he didn't see him.

"So?" Michelangelo tried to begin a conversation. "You still skateboard of what?"

"Dude!" replied the lizard fake shocked. "Of course I still board!"

April looked at the two mutants and then looked at her home. Oh god what did she needed clean. She wanted to say something about it when her Shell cell rang.

"With April." She answered.

"Heya Ape!" greeted Raphael's voice.

"Ugh, Raph I hate it when you call me that!" she replied angrily.

"All right sorry, jeez no need to get all uptight and all."

April shook her head.

"Believe me Raph. If you were standing in my living room at this moment you wouldn't be you normal calm personality self either."

"Ow, did I hear a hint of sarcasm in that?" he asked. April could feel the smirk through the phone line.

"Well, actually" replied April in a sweet voice. "I'm completely serious."

"All right, what did Mikey do this time?" Raph asked seriously.

"Mikey didn't do anything. Well, nothing wrong. He even helped me when-"

"What? Wait a sec April."

April raised her eyebrows.

"WHAT??" Raphael yelled. April who was holding the phone by her ear jumped and began massaging her sore ear.

"I'll ask!" Raphael shouted again. "I SAID I'LL ASK!!" he repeated. April, who was now prepared held the phone on arm length distance.

"I'm back again." Raphael said to April.

"So what I was saying-" April tried to finish her story.

"Argh, I'm sorry April, but I can't really listen to ya right now. Leo is buggin' me. But why I called. Is Mikey still with ya? 'Cause if he is tell him he has to come home, it's gettin' really late and if he won't come in the next ten minutes one of us will pick him up."

April smiled at that. It was so sweet they where that concerned about their little brother. It wasn't even unnecessary concerning because it is a fact Michelangelo gets in the most trouble when he is alone.

"I'll make sure I tell him that." She answered.

"Thanks April. We'd call him ourselves but we can't reach his cell. Don think it might be broken or something."

"No prob Raph. Bye!"

"See ya later Ape!"

"What did I say about-" April's reply was the beeping of the phone.

"Never mind." She sighed while she rolled her eyes.

She looked up again and found Michelangelo and Mondo sitting on the coach and laughing about something. The sight made her smile. 'Hmm I think I kinda like that kid.' She thought to herself. 'Of course,' she mentally added. 'removing a snake from my home tend to get somebody higher on my like-list.'

"Hey Mikey!" she interfered the boys.

"Raph called and he said you need to come home."

Michelangelo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll go in a few minutes."

April grinned. "He also said that if you won't be there in the next ten minutes one of them will come to pick you up." Michelangelo scolded.

"And that was." April turned to look at her watch. "Two minutes and 13 seconds ago."

Michelangelo huffed and Mondo laughed at him.

"Jeez, I'm a ninja for pity's sake. You don't see me calling Raph when he's out all night do you?" He asked to no one in particularly.

"That's because he would have your shell when you'd do that." Mondo commented.

Michelangelo thought about that for a few seconds and gave a pained look.

"Beside the point." He replied.

"So what is the point then?" Mondo asked.

"The point is like I said-"

April coughed. "Clock is ticking Mike." There are 7 minutes and 56 seconds left.

"That's the point!" Michelangelo exclaimed. He then nodded at April's look.

"Right, right. I'll go." He said already moving towards the window.

"Hey! Wait a sec, I'll walk you home!" Mondo called.

Michelangelo turned around. "I don't need anyone to walk me home." He retorted.

"Oh, all right then." Mondo answered. "Then you can carry this bag with you!" He pointed at the red bag, which was still moving.

"Okay, okay, you can walk me home." Michelangelo said with a smile.

"Maybe I don't want to anymore." Mondo replied, sticking his tongue out.

Michelangelo gave him his best puppy eyes.

"Okay, maybe I do after all."

April grinned. "All right just hurry up, 'cause your time is almost up Mike!"

She lead them towards the window again. Mondo stopped and shook April's hand.

"Nice to have seen you again April." He said with a smile.

"Hopefully the next time will be a little more relaxed though." He added.

April smiled back. "Well, I don't really think there is a relaxed moment with you guys. But I'd love to have you here for coffee another time though. I mean, if you're green, mutated and you've saved me then you're always welcome."

Mondo grinned. "I'll remember that."

He got outside and Michelangelo followed him.

"Sorry to leave you with the mess April." He said with an apologising smile what clearly told he didn't feel sorry at all.

"It doesn't matter Mikey, I'll get it cleaned up.. eventually."

They both laughed and then also Michelangelo left. April watched the two mutants move over the rooftops and disappear in the dark.

Then the doorbell rang. April looked at the time. Who was ringing at a time like this?

She opened the door and was surprised by the sight of her neighbour.

"Miss O'Neil." The older woman began.

"Firstly I want to apologise for- O my god what happened?"

April followed her gaze and looked at her living area.

"Well you know.." she began. "I kinda had trouble with.. a hamster."

"A hamster?" the neighbour replied surprised.

"A mad… hamster" April continued unsure of what she was saying herself.

The old woman just nodded and looked at the room to April with big eyes.

--

--

**To be continued…**

_And so the never-ending chapter (It surely seemed like that for me :P) came to an end. I hope you liked it and thank you for reading !_


	7. Part 7, Step 6

_Hello there my dearest readers =) Finally a new chapter, and if you are reading this it means you didn't lose your interest for my story and hopefully will forgive me for my late update. I finally figured out where I'm going with this story and I'm pleased about this chapter because the plotlines are finally working out a little bit like I have planned. Another thing I think I need to share: I made all the rules to a happy family up, but since I lost my inspiration for the tips I decided to google it (for the fun). You don't want to know how surprised I was there really do exist such a thing like "Ten steps to a happy family" and I really freaked out when I noticed my steps also stood on that list. So the steps really should lead to an happier family (though I doubt you should apply them like Mikey did) _

_Please enjoy reading, Anile._

_Disclaimer:__ Still don't own the turtles or their little friends. I do own a stuffed turtle named Micheal now .. _

**Happy now? – Part 7, Step six: Have fun and stay playful. **

_Step six: Stay playful. Happy times can't stay forever and every family goes through its own ups and downs. The thing is : How are you and your family going to deal with it? Try to enlighten the tight mood problems brings with them. Try to make jokes about it, maybe you can tell each other some stories from the 'good old times'. You'll notice your family bond will tighten and the atmosphere will clear a bit._

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_Donatello crouched and looked underneath the coach. Yuk, they really needed to clean there sometimes. He could tell their menu from the past two months by looking at the crumbles and it __didn't smell right. __He shook his head and began to search more furiously. He needed to find it, it was all his fault, it was all his fault to begin with. If he just didn't do it in the first place then something like this would've never happened. Then Donatello noticed a figure behind him, call it his ninja senses, and he turned around, one hand on his Bo-staff. He relaxed when he noticed his brother Raphael looking at him with a accusing expression._

"_What are ya doin'?" asked the turtle with the red bandana with a gruff voice._

_Donatello silently wondered what was up with his brother. He figured he had a bad mood, it wouldn't really be a surprise, and answered Raphael._

"_What do you think I'm doing? I'm looking for 'Belinda' of course!" Donatello answered, almost spitting the name his brother gave the snake out of his mouth. _

_Raphael's eyes darkened and he threateningly took a step towards Donatello._

"_What?!" Raphael yelled. "Are ya playin' games with me or somethin'? It's a little bit too late for that isn't it?" He raised his fist and looked ready to jump Donatello if he only dared to breath. _

_Donatello choked. "How do you mean?" he asked confused. _

_This didn't turn out to be the right answer because Raphael sprung towards him. He shielded his face with his arms and expected the hit but it never came. After a few seconds he dared to drop his guard and expected to see a very angry Raphael. When he opened his eyes however, he was greeted with the strict and emotionless face of Leonardo. Donatello blinked an looked around him, but there was no sight of the hot headed brother. He looked questioningly at his other brother but Leonardo shrugged it off. _

"_Raphael just needs time to accept this. We all do." Something about the way his brother said this made his heart beat faster and the feeling of dread lingered around him. _

"_What? What is happening? What do we need to accept?" Donatello asked urgently. Leonardo shook his head and not a word passed his lips. Panic began to fill Donatello's heart. He needed to find Michelangelo. Mikey would surely tell him what was going on, why everyone was acting so strangely. _

"_Where's Mikey?" he asked Leonardo. Leonardo's expression changed and there appeared a glint in his eyes Donatello was unfamiliar with. "Where's Michelangelo?" Donatello repeated, softer this time his voice barely a whisper. Leonardo still didn't say a thing but he did raise his arm. He pointed towards Splinter's room. Donatello didn't need anything else and hurried his way to his Sensei's room. The only sound he could hear was the drumming of his own heart. He drew near the door to his fathers room and opened it with a quick movement. _

_When he entered the room he felt that something wasn't right. A strange sad melody carried his way through the room and echoed in his head. Splinter was seated on a chair at the other side of the room and stared at the opposite side, stroking the fabric he held in his hands. He didn't notice Donatello entering. He heard the sound of crying and looked at his left, where April was sniffing openly in Casey's arms. Casey stroked her back with his own eyes suspiciously wet. But this wasn't the crying Donatello had heard when he came inside. He looked a little bit further and discovered Raphael in a corner. He was in a state Donatello had never seen him before. He was angry, crying and huddled against Leonardo's plastron, leaning into the small amount of comfort the other could give with silent tears glistering in his own eyes. It all looked so strange to Donatello. His family looked so vulnerable, so heartbroken. So.. wrong. Then Donatello's gaze finally travelled to the centre of the room and he really wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. On a bed in the middle of the room lay his brother. His body cold and motionless, his eyes closed and his hands wrapped in each other. Klunk lay at his feet, like a loyal guardian. The whole scene reminded the turtle of the old Egyptian faraoes, resting in their crypts million miles away. But this wasn't a farao in a desert on the other side of the ocean. This was his very own brother lying in front of his very own eyes in their own house. It was then when everything finally sank in and Donatello realised what was happening, why Raphael had been so angry, why his family was crying and why his baby brother was lying there. They were grieving, Michelangelo was no more.. it was all his fault._

_He cried out loud and approached his brothers body. He took his hand which felt cold and stiff. He swore he could feel his heart shattering in pieces at that moment. His eyes began to water but he couldn't take his eyes of his brother. Then he felt a soft pinch in his hand. He blinked and blamed his imagination but then he felt it again, stronger this time. He took another look at his brother and was happily surprised to see his eyelids fluttering, trying to open. A sparkle of hope flamed in his chest and Donatello looked at his family. _

"_He isn't dead!" He didn't get any reaction and he tried again._

"_It's okay, he's waking up! He's all right! He's alive!" He desperately tried to tell the others the amazing news but nobody reacted. Leonardo just looked at him with a pitying look and Raphael began to sniff even harder, Splinter didn't move at all, except for his fingers which were still stroking the orange bandana. _

_Donatello decided to ignore this and focussed on his brother instead. His eyes opened finally but it took a few seconds for Donatello to realise something was amiss. When he did however his hand was pressed tightly by his brothers, nails digging in his flesh. Piercing red eyes looked at him and Michelangelo rose, gripping his other hand at Donatello's throat. Michelangelo stood up and Donatello's eyes could see his tail which had grown at least thirty times his normal size and dragged over the floor. His hand was released but now the other hand was approaching his throat and he was pushed against a wall. Donatello grasped as he felt nails digging holes in the sensitive skin around his neck. Breathing became very difficult and he tried to struggle against his brothers grasp and ask for help. The others in the room didn't help him, except for Raphael, he stood up and approached Donatello with red eyes from crying. _

"_This is ya own fault Donnie." He whispered with a hoarse voice. _

_Donatello's vision became bleary and he couldn't breath since his brother was choking him with brute force. He looked at Raphael and pleaded with his eyes for help. _

"_This is for what ya did to Mikey, Don." Raphael said for the last time and turned around. _

_The last thing Donatello could make out was a thin tongue slipping through the two pointy fangs of Michelangelo before he felt his life slipping away…-_

Donatello woke up with a grasp.

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Raphael sighed and clenched and unclenched his fists. _Crack, crack _was the sound his knuckles made. He breathed in and out. _Crack, crack _He looked at the clock again. Leonardo said they would talk. After his meditation. Raphael had agreed. Not that he had expected it would take his brother that long to sit and do nothing. But apparently it did because Raphael was losing his patience. 'The coward' Raphael thought. Things have always been a little messed up between them, but lately they had come to common grounds and decided to work together. He expected it to be a little fist work an maybe a fair amount of undercover work but he hadn't expected this to happen. Raphael wasn't the type to worry about stuff but he was sure as hell that this one would blow up right into their own faces. If they don't do anything about it, it is. That's why he needed to talk to Fearless. He had known it was getting risky when suddenly Mondo appeared in the lair. Yeah, that wasn't according to their plan. He would've laughed out loud when he noticed Leo's expression, too bad his own face was way too busy mimicking the expression of his brother. Of course they have talked to him. He and Leo cornered him in a.. well a corner since that is kind of obvious, but the Gecko had acted innocent. Just coincidence, he had just been coincidentally walking along the freaking ninth floor, which coincidentally was the same floor as April lived in, and exactly at the moment April and Michelangelo were screaming for help, and of course he hadn't recognised Michelangelo's voice, it was all just a coincidence. Yeah right, coincidence Raph's ass. No smoke without a fire and he could smell Mondo's explanation burning to the ground.

Leonardo had made some things 'clear' between them and Raphael could proudly announce that the Gecko paled during their 'talk'. Though it was still troubling Raphael. He didn't trust a word out of that slithery mouth.

At that moment he was awoken from his trail of thoughts by Leonardo who, finally, decided to leave that dojo. "Jeez Fearless, ya took your time." Raphael greeted.

Leonardo just shrugged. "Lots of things to ponder." Was his simple reply.

The turtle in red rolled his eyes at this. "We need to talk." He announced.

"I know, that's why I'm here in the first place." Leonardo looked around Raphaels room. His eyes trailed to the clock on the wall. It was broken, but Raphael had insisted on keeping it. It was some weird way of outing his rebellious nature. The clock ticked like it wanted to and showed the hour at its liking. Leonardo's wish for sane brothers had faded a long time ago, when he figured nobody was normal and wicked in their own way.

"Your clock is messed up Raph." He needlessly said. It was his way of stretching time, delaying a talk he didn't know how to start and didn't want to have in the first place. Raphael must have seen through this too but answered anyways.

"I don't know bro. I prefer to think it is the only thing that ain't completely messed up right now." Leonardo knew what Raphael was really saying and Raphael knew that Leonardo knew. Oh joy, this was going to be fun.

Leonardo sighed and closed the door behind him.

"Now you're being overdramatic, we just need to sort out a couple of things." He said calmly.

Raphael clenched his fist. "I'm bein' overdramatic? What tha shell Leo? We lead a potential danger to our family, then somebody we ain't sure about what he is capable of doin' walks into our home and gets invited by our family to stay for dinner. Then while we are havin' that dinner we corner the guy and throw a couple of threats, which were quite useless may I say, and after that we just follow him back in and watch him chum up with our little brother, his so called friend! Oh Yeah, who ain't knowing nothing about anything like the rest of our family! And you just want to 'sort things out'?"

Eventually Raphael had to stop for breathing and Leonardo took his chance to voice his opinion. "You're overreacting Raph. We're getting really close now just another week and then-" Raphael interrupted his brother with a sarcastic laugh.

"Just one more week? I believed you the first time, the second time I became sceptical but blame me for not believin' you now!" Leonardo looked taken aback.

"Just trust me on this one Raphael, I promise we are really close, we're almost-"

Leonardo trailed off when he saw Raphael shaking his head furiously.

"We? What 'we'? As far as I know there is only a you anymore. You go out every night and come back sayin' we are close and you have almost the solution, but you won't tell me a thing about what you are doin' or who you're with."

Leonardo scrunched his face. "Raphael," he began his voice in full leader mode. "I'm doing this for us, for our family. It really is almost over and I've got everything under control."

Raphael turned towards Leonardo and shook his head remorsefully again.

"You might not notice it Leo but I do. You say you got everythin' under control but I can see you haven't and I'm afraid your bubble is going to explode right into our family's faces. So yeah, you're close I get that. I'm just thinkin' you were way too close, and now you're caught up in the middle of it."

Leonardo was speechless and looked at his brother. It wasn't true what he was saying, he didn't know what he was talking about. "Raph.." Leonardo tried. "Just give me-"

Raphael took a step closer in his direction and looked his brother in the eye.

"One more week. I'll give you one more week. If you haven't fixed everythin' by then I will go to Sensei and I'll take the lead, ya hear me? One, more, week."

Leonardo nodded and didn't lose their eye contact.

"That's all I need." He said in a calm voice.

Then he turned around and walked out again. Raphael sighed and lay back in his hammock.

He'd give him one more week. He just hoped he wouldn't regret that choice.

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"And then this dude answered: "Sorry sir I didn't know you wanted a bicycle." " Michelangelo said with tears in his eyes on his smiling face. The rest of the room was silent. Michelangelo sighed. "Though crowd." He said to the pillow. He knew it didn't make much sense to tell a joke to a coach, but since Klunk had fallen asleep when he was telling his fifth joke he guessed it would be better to tell his next jokes to something that didn't fall asleep. Though he couldn't really check it and be sure, a sleeping coach most likely wouldn't look that different of a coach being awake. He could yell at the coach, that always worked with Raphael when he was asleep but since a coach got no ears that would be silly. Still not satisfied Michelangelo grabbed a glass of water from the table and threw it over the coach. Klunk meowed furiously because some water spilled over her tail and ran out of the room.

"My son, are you all right?" Master Splinter asked looking with a doubting look towards his cheerful son. Michelangelo turned around, he hadn't noticed his Father coming into the room.

"What?," Michelangelo looked at the wet spot on the coach and at the glass in his hand "Ow, that's nothing. I was just telling some jokes." Master Splinter blinked and didn't make the connection, he accepted it though thinking he really was getting to old for this logic. Michelangelo decided he'd change the subject and smiled at his father. "I was thinking," he began. "Aw, poor baby. That must have been painful for ya." Raphael mocked. He had just walked inside with Klunk in his arms. Klunk looked at Michelangelo with a superior look like she said : "Ha, now I've got my own army. Dare to make me wet again." Raphael scratched the cat behind her ear and Klunk settled with just purring instead. Michelangelo sighed at his brothers remark, it was getting a little bit old. However Michelangelo put the melodramatic hurt face on to lighten the mood again. "What I was saying.." he started again. "I was thinking about cooking a grand meal tonight.. Like a really nice dinner where we can sit and talk, maybe tell a few stories about the good old times." Splinter and Raphael both looked sceptically at the younger turtle but he looked with a smile back.

"That'd be a great idea." Master Splinter told Michelangelo. Michelangelo beamed and began chattering about how great tonight was going to be. Raphael listened with a half ear until he remembered something. "- so I got all the jokes and I just think it is a nice thing to do with the whole family together." Michelangelo told the rat enthusiastically.

"Yeah about that," interrupted Raphael. "I think you need to rethink about the whole.. whole family thing." Michelangelo looked confused at his brother.

Raphael continued. " I mean, Leo has gone out for the night and Donnie rushed out this morning sayin' he was going to see Leatherhead, so we won't be really complete."

The orange turtle's face fell. Master Splinter patted his son on the shoulder.

"You can always call Donatello to ask, my son."

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"I'm sorry Mikey but I really can't."

"No.."

"Aha.."

"No but,.. ha ha, funny Mike."

"I told you, now I really...-"

"I know and I'm sorry but no-.."

"No!"

"Ow, sorry about that. Just tell him that it will be late.."

"Yeah, All right."

"Bye."

Donatello clicked the end button before Michelangelo could nag any longer about him not coming back home for dinner. Though Donatello was glad to talk with a normal and soundly healthy Michelangelo, he hadn't forget about his nightmare and that's why he came to Leatherhead for help. He just guessed he couldn't keep this for himself any longer.

Loud footsteps appeared behind him and Leatherhead walked into the room again.

"Here." The alligator told Donatello while he put a new cup of coffee in front of him. Donatello sniffed at the sweet caffeine, his saviour at the moment.

"I processed all the data and know we're running some tests. The most early results will come back in a few hours."

Donatello looked up at his friend. "Thank you Leatherhead, I really needed some help with this one." The alligator shrugged it off. "Not a problem Donatello. I'm glad I can help I haven't heard from you guys for a while."

Leatherhead took a sip of his own coffee and sat back in a chair opposite to the one of Donatello.

"So that snake had bitten Mikey?" he asked Donatello again.

Donatello swallowed and nodded. "I was patching up his foot when I noticed bite marks on it."

"But you didn't tell anyone? Not even Mikey?" Leatherhead questioned.

Donatello played with the cup in his hand.

"I noticed it a couple of hours later and Mikey was just fine. I just figured our mutation makes of immune for snake poisoning or something."

Leatherhead shook his head. Something wasn't right here and he was bound to figure out what. "So you decided to come to me now because..?"

Donatello sighed and thought back about last night.

"I wasn't to take any risks, I took some of our cells and mixed them with the venom. And nothing happened, nothing at all, until last night. I just checked the sample like I did al those other nights but something wasn't right. It was like the cells mutated or something, I don't really know what happened and before I could blink it was over and normal again like noting had happened at all."

Donatello took the final gulp from his cup and put the cup down. After that he went to bed, blaming his late nights and caffeine shots for an overworked imagination. Then he got that awful nightmare that left him awake and sweaty. He got up took his stuff and snatched the returned snake and decided to pay Leatherhead a visit, since he had been studying their mutation and had some equipment he hadn't. And some peace he didn't have.

"Donatello." Leatherhead said, interrupting Donatello's musings.

"I'm not stupid Donatello. This kind of snake doesn't just appear out of nowhere in the sewers. Do you know how it got there?"

Donatello shifted around and avoided to look at Leatherhead. If he could just take it back, if he could just start this all over again he would never let it come that far.

"It was a couple of weeks ago," he began. Leatherhead listened carefully.

"I was looking some useful stuff on the junkyard when I heard these voices. I hid in the shadows and sneaked a little bit closer so I could hear what the voices were saying. Apparently one of them was a animal smuggler. He transported exotic and illegal animals to the VS and sold them for a lot of money to animal collectors. This two were just making their deal when a police car came by. The buyer freaked out and eventually ran away. This caught the attention of the cops and they came to check it out, probably thinking it was a drugs deal. Now also the smuggler became nervous and swearing he ran away. The cops came and found they animals. They were locked into crates, they made a couple of phone calls and disappeared with the crates. After I knew it was safe I came from my hiding spot and my eye fell on a moving object on the ground. After further investigation I found out it was a snake. I don't really know what I was thinking and took it home. I experimented some with the venom of the snake and tried to make a medicine or something from it. Then I found out it escaped and while I was searching I hear Mikey screaming at the top of it longs. The rest you know."

Leatherhead blinked. It wasn't a smart thing to do but he could understand why Donatello had done what he had done. As an inventor you have to be curious and sometimes the possibility's are more tempting than the risks scare you of. He did wonder if the venom of the snake really did react with the mutated cells of the turtles. And if it did, what kind of effect would it have on Michelangelo? The only thing they could do was wait.

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**To be continued…**

_And that is the end.. for today at least. Secrets have been revealed but new questions are formed. And why was there so little of Mikey in this chapter? Stupid inspiration, writing everything down without even thinking about the writers preferences. _

_Thank you for reading! One last thing.. Am I the only one who misses the sweet purple/bluish buttons? Am I?_


	8. Part 8, Step 7

_Hi there again. First of al (but not very original) I want to excuse for the late (late) update. Besides the fact that I've been busy with school, work and *gasp* a social life, I also didn't really feel like writing the next chapter. I didn't know what to do with the story and was kind of stuck. But I'm very happy to announce you all that things are finally wrapping up a bit and working towards, well the point. I had some ideas running around my head for a while and I finally found a way to not only put this into this story, but also place it in a series. Which means that after Happy Now, the real story won't be over yet and only has come to it's beginning. But that's far, far away from now and now it's time for the next chapter! _

_Thank you for reviewing, commenting and favouring this story, you guys keep me writing, Anile._

_Disclaimer:__ I don't own the turtles or any other character, sad but true. _

**Happy now? – Part 8, Step seven: Don't keep any secrets. **

_Step 7: Do not keep secrets for one another. Though some people justify keeping secrets with the old argument that keeping a secret isn't the same as a lie, statistics have confirmed that families who are open with each other live much happier. _

He could still spot the light scaring on his fingertips, he remembered the guilty and surprised look on Donnie's face when he had heard his scream. Donatello never used to get angry, let alone that he got aggressive, that was way further into Raph's alley.

They were ten years old when it happened, the three of them had been playing a game and Raphael and himself had been teasing Donatello a bit, pushing the other turtle's buttons. Donatello got annoyed and made a remark, Raph said something a bit out of line and Donatello took it the wrong way. Thinking back about it, Michelangelo discovered that it were probably some bad circumstances adding up to the final and inevitable breakdown.

It had been mid-winter and they were forced to stay inside because of the horrible weather, they were all hungry since there wasn't a lot of food and Leonardo had caught the flu and therefore got the most of Splinter's attention. Raphael and Donatello had spend more time with each other than they normally ever would have, trying to distract Mikey so the energetic turtle would give Leonardo enough rest and Splinter enough space to help Leonardo with his limited supplies.

There was quite a responsibility on the shoulders of the two turtles and they had to work together to get it all done. Keeping the lair tidy, making tea now and then for both Splinter and Leonardo, trying to keep Mikey still and keeping an eye on him at the same time. That was the first time Raphael had ever extinguished a kitchen-fire and the first time Donatello had to fix a toaster. (Donatello calmly tried to explain a bemused Michelangelo that, in order to get toast with jam, you first have to toast the bread and only after that, when it isn't in the toaster anymore, you can smear it with butter and jam, while restraining a fuming Raphael from killing his younger brother.)

Anyway, when Leonardo got better and when Splinter started to admire his sons for their responsibility and patience the frustrations of the past week came out all at once.

So Raphael and Donatello where fighting and yelling and Donatello entered the bathroom, the only room with a real door, to shut it in front of Raphael's face with a bang. Too bad Michelangelo, trying to calm his brothers and trying to apologise to Donnie for teasing him, had put his hand in the door opening so his fingers got caught between the door and the wall.

Splinter had explained to them then, while he was nursing Michelangelo's sore hand, that he understood that they were frustrated and getting on each others nerves, but with fighting you don't only hurt each other, but also the people you care about around you without meaning to.

Michelangelo sighed and rubbed his hand. When did everything get so complicated? How was it possible that instead of their usual bickering or fighting they practically ignored each other? Even when he tried to follow the steps of happiness they kept drifting apart. He took the magazine from its hiding spot and ripped the article out of it. He crumpled the piece of paper and threw it against the other side of the wall. He heard the satisfying pop when it fell on the ground. So what to do next? Maybe he should get rid of the stupid 'communicating box', he sighed, what a lame idea to begin with.

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"Maybe you should just go home." Donatello looked up from the papers, he stared blankly at Leatherhead. "Huh?" He pronounced tiredly.

"I said that maybe you should head home," Leatherhead repeated "we've been doing test and research for hours and the other results won't come anytime soon, so maybe you should just make Mikey a happier turtle and go home. Donatello smiled as he remembered the previous phone call but then shook his head. "I really need to know what's happening to him Leatherhead," Donatello answered the overgrown alligator.

The other scientist nodded in understanding. "Maybe you should get some sleep then?" He offered. Donatello rejected this offer also. "Every time I close my eyes I see that image of snake-Mikey." He replied with a pained expression. Leatherhead couldn't help but chuckle at his friends expression. "I highly doubt any mixture of poison with mutagen could cause a reaction like that."

Donatello shrugged that remark away. "Never say never," he quoted. He stood up from the desk chair and checked the computer to see if any results were in yet.

"You know," he said Leatherhead when he turned to face him. "I've tried to study our mutation from the moment I discovered the meaning of a scientific research and even now I don't know for sure how it's possible we exist and think like we do."

He sighed and sat down on the coach, across the other mutant. It felt so right to talk about all these things with someone who was really interested in their mutation also. He knew Leatherhead had been researching their existing on his own, since they shared their theories and information so now and then. Almost as the other was reading Donatello's mind he also sighed.

"It would help if had a sample of the mutagen that made us to what we are."

Donatello looked up and smiled wryly. "I had once."

Leatherhead stirred and looked at Donatello with an unbelieving expression.

Donatello continued his story. "Some Scientifics were testing the ooze that made us on other animals. They made their own mutants who had to fight us later. Eventually I got hold of the ooze sample but we had to destroy it because too many dangerous people were interested in it. It was the only one I've ever known of."

Leatherhead was surprised by this piece of information, and slightly disappointed at the loss of information, even though he understood the other had had no choice in the matter.

"They really seem to be interested in mutants lately." He remarked casually.

Donatello frowned, "How do you mean?" he asked.

Leatherhead took the empty coffee mug in his hand and replied almost sneering. "The FFEAF of course."

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"You know that I planned this all to happen, don't you?" Leonardo asked with a straight face.

Raphael muttered a soft curse and answered with an unbelieving "yeah?"

"Yes. It was all part of the plan, the plan I thought of the moment I noticed that the foot were back." He continued, ignoring Raphael's sarcasm.

"Oh yeah, you noticed that the foot were back, I remember that," Raphael said in fake agreement "Wait a minute! I don't remember that! Maybe it's because me and Casey told ya the foot were back!"

Leonardo shook his head at his brother's foolishness. "No I also made that happen."

Raphael raised his eyebrow "And how did ya do that Fearless?" he spitted the familiar nickname.

"I made sure you and Casey were going out that night-"

"And you also placed the foot ninja's in our alley?" Raphael cut Leonardo off mid-sentence.

"Well.. yes actually." Leonardo said quietly.

"Newsflash Fearless! I went out because I wanted to go out and Casey told me about the Foot."

Leonardo shook his head. "No you're wrong, you went out because we had a fight and Casey told you about the Foot after I had told him."

"So ya told Casey so he would tell me so I would tell you that the Foot were back?"

Leonardo only nodded as answer.

"What's the logic in that?" Raphael exclaimed.

"Look Raph," Leonardo began in a hushed voice. "If I told you the Foot were back you would go and beat the crap out of them,"

"But I did go and beat the crap out of them.." Raphael said with a scrunched face, trying to decide whether they other was just being illogical or going nuts.

"That's not the point," Leonardo continued. "now I could go to the guys who are leading this place and pretend like I was helping them by distracting you, so you could spy on them while I was undercover." He explained.

"Nuh-uh." Raphael shook his head this time. "You went 'undercover' because you still have the hots for Karai."

"Raph! This is important, there is no time to joke around! You need to understand what's happening!" Leonardo yelled, swinging around a little.

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah of course I understand. Foot are up to sometin' evil, we have to find out what so we can stop them, then you'll have the choice to either kill Karai or let her go, then you'll let her go because of your twisted relationship with her and then the whole thing happens again." He summed up in monotone.

Leonardo sputtered. "There is nothing between me and Karai! But we have to find out what she's planning and who she's planning it with."

Raphael wondered if Leonardo really didn't notice how predictable he was being, or that he did it on purpose. He secretly hoped for the last.

"So," Raphael asked again while he rubbed his hands against each other. "All of this was planned?"

Leonardo looked around him briefly, "Almost everything, yeah." He replied and shrugged.

The small movement caused him to circle around slowly.

"Leo," Raph called. He'd given up on untying his hands and now swung around a bit to see if the cord he was hanging on could hold his weight. He glared at the form of his brother, also hanging upside down, both bound by his feet and hands. The other looked at him sheepishly.

"Crappy plan."

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"So wait.." Donatello tried to let this information sink in. "Mondo came to you and he's part of an organisation fighting for equality and freedom?" Leatherhead nodded as Donatello repeated what he had said earlier. "The Fighters For Equality And Freedom, the FFEAF."

"So he comes in with a few others,-" "Humans, three of them, all armed." Leatherhead completed. "And he tells you about the FFEAF." Leatherhead made a sound of agreement.

" Told me they needed 'people' like me, that the FFEAF didn't think different of me and think I deserve a place in society." Donatello stared at his fingers.

"And you told them..?"

"I answered that I wasn't really a fighter and I wasn't interested in joining a gang." The other mutant answered Donatello. "Then they told me that they didn't need me as a fighter, but as a researcher of science. They wanted to know everything I knew about mutation and were willing to pay me for it."

"And you declined?" Donatello asked the other, who had stopped talking seemingly lost in thoughts. Leatherhead looked at him. " Of course I said no! I don't know how stupid they thought I am, every imbecile could see the warning-sign they practically had stuck on their foreheads!" He replied frantically. Donatello nodded in agreement, trying to calm his friend.

"So then they left." He finished. He looked at the other when there wasn't an immediate reply.

"Well they didn't really leave after that. The tried to threaten me by pointing those stupid pieces of steel at me. That's when I lost it Don, I tried so hard to not lose my temper again, but it was all so infuriating! I wasn't going to be taken advantage of again!"

Donatello clapped Leatherhead on the back. "It's all right Leatherhead, they were stupid to underestimate you like that. I even hope you got them good." He said with a small smile.

The alligator calmed down again and laughed back at him. "Oh I hit them well yeah, they didn't know what hit them.. well figuratively speaking of course."

They both were silent for a few moments. "I'm kinda worried though, Mondo's hanging out with Mikey again lately." Leatherhead's eyes narrowed by the name of his friend Michelangelo. "He's after Mikey?" The reptile asked with a threatening tone.

Donatello stood up and shook his head quickly. "No, no, no, that's not what I was saying. I'm sure Mikey would have told us if something like that was offered to him." He walked towards the computer to see if any results came in while they were talking.

"Just keep an eye on him Donatello. You shouldn't trust that guy, especially since he knows where you live." Donatello didn't answer him and just gazed at the computer screen.

"Donatello?" Leatherhead called again.

"He knows where Mikey lived yeah." Donatello said numbly, not taking his eyes from the screen. Leatherhead became more concerned with the moment and he walked to the computer to see what the results told them for himself.

"O lord.." he said softly. "Are you sure he's bitten?"

Donatello looked at him, eyes expressing the same question and hope.

"What else could cause such punctures?"

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"Hello!"

"Hello!"

"Anybody?"

"Guys?"

"Is anybody-"

"Aah!" a high pitched scream filled the quiet rooms in the lair. "Master Splinter!" April shrieked as she recognised the paw on her shoulder as his. She grabbed her chest with her hand and took deep breathes.

"You're not going to faint again, are you my dear?" April smiled at the small teasing and she shook her head. "You should know better than scare me like that Master Splinter, I thought I was all alone here!"

Splinter smiled at her and guided her towards a chair, "Forgive me Miss O'Neil. I just wanted to know if I did not turn invisible or something, my sons are very occupied in their own activities lately." April sat down thankfully and accepted the cup of tea that was offered by the elder rat.

"So Mikey's still trying fulfil those steps from 'Sparkle Time'? " April asked. Splinter blinked at her, not getting what she was talking about.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Miss O'Neil." He replied.

April took a sip of her tea and grinned. "I lend him a magazine and in it was an article with ten steps to make a family happy, apparently he thought you guys needed it because he wanted to keep the article and do as it said. Silly things like eating together, communicating, sharing the housework and getting to know each other better. He was being very secretive about it, but I just think it's really cute."

Splinter added the tips from the article up to the events of the past weeks.

"Thank you Miss O'Neil, that actually explains quite a lot." Splinter smiled at the thought of his son being so busy with finding a way to make them all happier and inwardly dropped some sentimental tears.

April noticed that Splinter was reliving some memories from way back and scraped her throat.

"Speaking of Mikey, where is he actually?"

Master Splinter answered her with a small smile still playing on his lips. "He's back in his room."

April said her goodbyes to the rat and went further in the lair, passing the other rooms first. She'd only seen Michelangelo's room once and she didn't go further than the door-opening then. She seriously wondered if a pig wasn't a more suitable way to portray Michelangelo's character.

"Mikey." She knocked on the door. "Can I come in?"

There was a lot of movement inside and finally the door opened.

"Oh, hey April." He greeted her innocently. He took a step back to let her in, giving view to a chaotic room with music blasting from the radio.

"Come in," he politely invited her. She swallowed and took a step inside, trying to avoid stepping on as many things as possible.

"What happened here?" She asked, not caring to hide her shock.

Michelangelo shrugged sheepishly. "I'm .. well… what's the antonym from cleaning?"

"Why?" April asked desperately. "Why would you trash this place?"

Michelangelo shrugged again. "Just feeling like it." April was almost sure he stole that line from Raphael once.

"O yeah!" Michelangelo exclaimed. He walked towards the radio and cut the music off. "I've got something for you." He disappeared somewhere in a pile of comics and other things and appeared again with a crumpled piece of paper and a pink magazine.

"Here's your magazine back, and the article.. It a.. Sorry that I wrinkled it."

April stared confusedly at the article and at Michelangelo's face. He didn't sound like his usual cheerful self. "Mikey, what's wrong?" She asked the turtle.

He shifted with his feet. "You know, all those steps to make you happy? It didn't really work for me. I really tried to do everything like it said, but everything went the wrong way. Maybe it's my fault, or maybe we're just bound to be unhappy."

April awwed in her head and hugged him. "Mikey, of course you can be happy! Just screw that magazine!" She tossed the magazine away again as a statement. "What do they know about your family? Those articles are written by people who are so seemingly perfect from the outside, but they never are Mike! There's always something amiss, illness, strangeness, anything that doesn't fit into the image of the perfect family."

Michelangelo looked at her with his baby blue eyes and she couldn't remember how her life was before she has met the turtles. Of course it was filled with less danger and her house didn't burn down back then, but on the other hand she never had such a family as she had now.

"You know," She continued with her eyes watering a bit. "I think this family is perfect already, you love each other, you protect each other and you are honest to one another. That's all a family really need."

It was now Michelangelo's turn to hug the emotional April and a few moments after that he joked, "So you don't have any tips for me then? 'Cause if I have to be honest about everything I still have some confessing to do, and I don't think they'll appreciate it that much." April smiled as she knew what he meant, the best thing about a prank is when you don't get caught, so she answered him also smiling.

"Hmm, well. The first thing in order to be a happy family is that all the family members have to work for it. So you shouldn't be the only one to confess."

She put an arm around Michelangelo's shoulder and walked him towards the door. She was almost there when she felt a stabbing in her toe. "Auch!" She screamed as she lifted her sore foot in the air. "What's that?" She asked as she pulled a pink plastic thing from her shoe. "Ow, I'm sorry April!" Michelangelo apologized as he recognised the thing. He took it in his hand and examined April's foot. There was a little bleeding spot right under her toes.

April also took a look at the offending object, which had found its way into her shoe.

"Is that .. a set of fake vampire fangs?" Michelangelo nodded guiltily.

"If it helps to know that I've gone through the same thing two weeks ago, will that help you?" He shook his head. "I thought I had put that stupid thing away already."

April still looked at the fangs with a look of pure disgust. "Are those fake vampire fangs?"

"How did those even fit into my shoe?" she asked nobody in particular.

**To be continued…**

_I had to rewrite the ending when I noticed April probably was wearing shoes, especially in a sewer. I know it's not very likely something like that __gets stuck in a shoe, but hey! Maybe she wears open shoes.. yeah that's it. I don't know what you're complaining about!_

_Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed =)_


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